کتلت

What it means

کتلت (kotlet) is a flat, oval patty made from ground meat, grated potato, onion, and egg, then shallow fried until crisp. The word is a loanword from French côtelette (“cutlet”). Its closest Iranian cousin is شامی (shami), a similar fried patty bound with split peas, and many people use کباب فرنگی for a related cutlet-style dish.

How to use it

• مامانم کتلت درست کرده. (Maamaanam kotlet dorost karde.) “My mom has made kotlet.”
• کتلت با نون و گوجه خیلی می‌چسبه. (Kotlet baa noon o goje kheyli michasbe.) “Kotlet with bread and tomato really hits the spot.”
• برای سفر چندتا کتلت بپز. (Baraaye safar chandtaa kotlet bepaz.) “Cook a few kotlets for the trip.”
• کتلتا رو تو روغن سرخ کن. (Kotletaa ro too roghan sorkh kon.) “Fry the kotlets in oil.”

Cultural note

Kotlet is classic Iranian comfort food and a favorite for picnics, road trips, and lunchboxes, since it tastes good cold and travels well wrapped in bread. It is usually served at room temperature with نان (bread), fresh herbs, tomato, and pickles rather than rice. Recipes vary by household, with some families adding turmeric or a squeeze of lime, and it is often made in large batches.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab