For Persians, kabab koobideh is an institution. The word ‘kebab’ (or kabab, as Persians call it) means ‘to grill’, usually over fire. The first kebabs were made by Persian soldiers who would grill meats on their swords, hence the traditional flat skewers Persians use today – you can buy them online if you want to serve them this way. Although we only have a few different varieties of kebab, for me, this is the simplest yet most delicious.