Kabab Koobideh

Method

1. Grate 1 small onion on the fine side of a box grater, then wring it out hard in a clean cloth or fine sieve until almost no juice remains — wet onion is what makes koobideh fall off the skewer. Keep the pulp, discard the juice.
2. Put 150 g twice-minced lamb in a wide bowl with the onion pulp, 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper and 0.25 tsp turmeric. Knead and slap the mixture against the side of the bowl for a full 10 minutes, until it is smooth, sticky and pulls away from your hand in one mass. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Grind 1 pinch saffron threads to powder with a little salt in a mortar, steep in 1 tbsp hot water for 10 minutes, then stir in 10 g butter, melted. Set this basting liquid aside with a pastry brush.