Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (or lamb, or a mix)
• 2 russet potatoes, grated raw (or boiled and mashed)
• 1 onion, grated and squeezed absolutely dry
• 1 egg · 3 tbsp flour
• ½ tsp turmeric · 1 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp oil, for shallow-frying
• Sliced tomato, pickles and bread, to serve

Method

1. Grate the onion and squeeze out every drop of juice — this is the difference between patties and crumbs.
2. Mix the meat, potato, onion, egg, flour and spices by hand until sticky and even.
3. Heat the oil over medium — no hotter, or the outside burns before the middle cooks.
4. With wet hands, shape flat ovals.
5. Fry about 5 minutes a side, until deep brown and crisp.
6. Eat hot with bread, tomato and pickles — or cold from the fridge, wrapped in lavash, which half of Iran insists is better.