Persian cuisine is full of different types of kebabs. Kabab Mahi is one of those delicious kebabs which is more prevalent in the North and the south of Iran. Mahi kebab is cooked with fish. Kebab is a Persian word for roasting, and Mahi is a Persian word for fish. So more he Kebab means roasted fish it can be any fish. It is a seafood that is is easy to find in the North and south of Iran because there are varieties of fish in those regions. You can make Mahi kebab with any fish.
Indeed Iranians attach any type of fish to skewers and grill them on the barbecue to make roasted fish. It is an ancient food since fish was one of mankind’s first hauntings. Even before the Invention of Persian cuisine, humankind roasted fish and Fire and ate it. Nowadays Kabab Mahi (Mahi Kebab, ماهی کباب) is a common type of Kabab that you can find in every Persian classical restaurant’s menu.
Different types of Kabab Mahi:
Iranians make Kabab Mahi with all kinds of fish. The most famous Kebab with fish is cooked with trout fish. In the North of Iran and the Caspian sea, there is a lot of trout and Caspian kutum. Therefore, you can find these fish roasted more than other types. In the south of Iran, around Persian golf, there is almost every type of fish available. You can find Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel, common carp, Starry sturgeon, and other kinds of fish. Indeed, to make Kabab Mahi you can choose your favorite type of fish and then marinate it in a special sauce and finally grill them on coil barbecue.
Important Nutrition Facts of Kabab Mahi:
Of course, depending on the type of fish you choose, to grill, the calorie and nutrition can vary. In this section, I am going to mention the nutrition facts about the grilled trout, which is the most common type in Persian cuisine. 100 gr of grilled trout has about 190 kcal. It has 26.63 gr protein, 8 gr fat, and no carbohydrates. Moreover, it has 0.50 mg vitamin C, 5.77 mg vitamin B3, 2.24 mg vitamin B5, and about 8 mg vitamin B12. It also contains 55 mg calcium, 28 mg magnesium, 314 mg phosphor, 463 mg potassium, 67 mg sodium, and selenium. It is also an excellent source for omega 3.
Vegetarian tips:
Once more, I am sorry to state that, Persian kebabs do not have vegetarian types, always the main ingredient of Persian kebabs is meat. Therefore, as a vegan, or vegetarian, you’d better never mind eating and cooking Mahi kebab.
Serving style of Kabab Mahi:
Iranians serve Kabab Mahi with rice or with other side garnishes, such as grilled veggies as the main course for dinner or lunch. It can be served in both official and casual parties. If you are going to serve it with a dish of rice, you should prepare Chelow, like all other kebabs. The most prevalent side dishes next to Mahi kebab are salads such as Persian cucumber salad (Shirazi salad), olive pickles, Zeytoon Parvardeh (stuffed olives), Sir Torshi, Dalar (a salty mix of herbs) and some fresh Fava beans. You may serve a dish of Mirzaghasemi as an appetizer in the North of Iran, before Mahi kebab. Strangely, in this article, I am not going to suggest you drink Doogh with this food. Because a combination of fish and Doogh can cause a decrease in your blood pressure.
What are the ingredients of Kabab Mahi?
The main ingredient is fish. Other components are used to make a sauce to marinate the fish. Onion’s juice, lemon juice, some spices such as pepper, and salt are needed to make the marinating sauce. Brewed saffron and some minced garlic would help to reduce the fish stink. If you are going to serve it with Chelow, you will need rice, too.
How to cook Kebab Mahi?
To cook Kabab Mahi first, you need to make the sauce for marinating the fish. You can use any type of fish, but you’d better use the fillet part. Then cut the fish fillet into cubes. And marinate them in the sauce for about 7 hours. To make the sauce, shred the onions and use the juice then add lemon juice and the spices. Put the marinated fish in the fridge for about 5-7 hours.
Recipe:
This recipe is adequate for four people. The preparation time is about 20 minutes, and the cooking time is 20 minutes. You should consider 5 hours for marinating.
Kabab Mahi
Ingredients
- 2 lb fish fillet
- 2 onions
- 2 claves of garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup brewed saffron
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel and shred the onions into a bowl
- Separate the onion's juice and pour it into another bowl
- Mix the onion's juice, with pepper, minced garlic and salt
- Cut the fish in 3-inch cubes
- Pout the fish in the sauce to marinate
- Marinate the fish for 5 hours or more in the fridge
- Add lemon juice in the last hour
- Attach the fish to the skewers and grill them on a coil barbecue
Notes
Uniqop's Advice:
- For a more delicious taste, you can brush some melted butter on the fish while grilling.
- You can grill some bell peppers to serve next to Mahi kebab.
- French fries are also delicious items you can serve next to this food.