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Kubideh (Koobideh): the Persian kebab in Interlaken

Kubideh at BANOO Interlaken: two minced-meat skewers with saffron rice, barberries and a grilled tomato, seen from above

Order „kabab“ in Iran and there is a good chance you will get kubideh – often spelled koobideh. This long, flat skewer of minced meat is one of the great classics of Iranian food, eaten at street grills, in kebab houses and at family tables. At BANOO on Centralstrasse 28 in Interlaken it is No. 45 on our menu. Here is what makes kubideh special, how we serve it, and how to enjoy it.

What is kubideh?

The name comes from the Persian verb kubidan, „to pound“. The meat was once beaten with a wooden mallet until it became fine and smooth; today it is minced and kneaded by hand for a long time. Traditionally the only other ingredients are finely grated onion, salt and black pepper. A good kubideh does not need more.

What makes it recognisable is the shape. The mixture is pressed by hand onto wide, flat skewers, and the fingers leave the typical ridges you can see in our photo. That way the meat holds on the skewer and browns well on the outside while staying juicy inside. In Iran, kubideh is usually eaten as chelow kabab – kebab with rice – and sometimes with flatbread, often with a pinch of sumac, a tangy red spice.

How we serve kubideh at BANOO

Our kubideh is a skewer of minced beef and lamb, grilled and served with a grilled tomato. Like all our grill dishes, it comes with buttered saffron rice. You can order it with one or two skewers: one for a lighter lunch, two after a long day in the mountains.

Kubideh also appears in our combinations: in Soltani together with barg, and in Mix Kabab, our grill platter for sharing. All our meat is halal.

Our tip: crush the grilled tomato into the saffron rice and eat it together with a piece of the skewer. That is how many people in Iran enjoy chelow kabab.

Persian food in the centre of Interlaken

BANOO is the only Persian restaurant in the Canton of Bern. You will find us at Centralstrasse 28, 2 minutes on foot from Höheweg and Interlaken West station. With 100 seats we have room for families, groups and walk-ins, and there are vegetarian dishes on the menu too. Our sister restaurant is Banoo in Rapperswil.

We are open Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00–22:00, and closed on Mondays. Book a table online at https://pos.banoo-interlaken.ch/book/1 or call us on 076 500 71 42. We look forward to welcoming you.

More from our blog: Ghormeh Sabzi, the Persian herb stew and Mezze, six Persian starters to share.