Kotlet is a Persian meat patty that is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.The traditional kotlet is made with meat.

 It originates from the word “cutlet” which means a thin slice of meat or a croquette or cutlet-shaped patty made with ground meat. Kotlet is a delicious family dinner that also makes great leftovers and is perfect for school lunch.

There are many ways to make kotlet and each Iranian family has its own method and list of ingredients to use. 

To make these Persian meat patties, all you need are only a few ingredients:

• Ground beef: I usually use lean ground beef for this recipe. You can also use ground lamb or a combination of ground lamb and beef.
• Potatoes: Russet potatoes work best for this recipe. You can either use them raw or boil them in advance. Both approaches will result in delicious patties. I’ve shown the method using raw potatoes in this recipe.
• Onion: You need to grate the onion and squeeze out all the excess liquid.
• Spices: this recipe calls for turmeric, salt and pepper. Some might also add cayenne, paprika or cumin.
• Flour: Just a few tablespoons of all purpose flour to bring the mixture together.
• Egg: This works as a binding agent in this recipe.

HOW TO MAKE KOTLET

1. Mix the ground meat (lamb, beef or a combination of both) with the grated onion, grated potatoes, spices, egg and flour.
2. Pour the oil in the pan, enough to cover the bottom of the pan and heat it over medium heat. Wet your hands with water and grab about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and shape it into a patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
3. Place the patties in the oil and sear for about 5 minutes on each side until the outside is brown and crispy and the inside is fully cooked.

We traditionally eat them in sandwiches made with flatbread and filled with tomatoes, pickles and hot french fries…yum!

You can eat Persian kotlet hot or cold so they’re great for picnics and packed lunches. We also serve them as an appetizer in Iran too. The only problem is once you have one, you can’t stop!