Shami pok Saffron Recipe is a chicken version of shami pook, the light Persian patty also known as shami lappeh. Cooked split peas and chicken are ground into a soft mixture, coloured with saffron, shaped into small rings and fried until the edges are crisp.
Chicken Shami Pook with Saffron
The unusual detail in this recipe is a small amount of yeast. Once activated, it helps give the cooked patties their characteristic airy interior. Chickpea flour is added only if the mixture needs support; too much would make the shami dense.
Preparation: 35 minutes
Cooking and cooling: about 1 hour
Resting: 30 minutes
Makes: about 40 small patties
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 500 g yellow split peas, rinsed
- 5 eggs
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons strong brewed saffron, cooled
- ½ cup chickpea flour, plus a little more if needed
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small piece cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Fine salt, black pepper and red pepper, to taste
- Neutral oil, for shallow frying
A concentrated infusion gives the patties colour without adding much liquid. If yours is not ready, follow our method for brewing saffron, then let it cool before mixing.
Cook the Split Peas and Chicken
Put the split peas in a saucepan with enough water to cover them. Add a little salt, bring to a gentle boil and cook until completely tender. Drain very well. Any water left around the peas will make the patties difficult to shape.
Place the chicken in a separate saucepan with the onion, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, turmeric, a pinch of salt and just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken reaches 74°C/165°F in its thickest part. This is the safe minimum for poultry given by the official FoodSafety.gov temperature chart.
Remove the chicken from its cooking liquid and discard the onion, bay leaf and cinnamon. Let both the chicken and split peas cool until they are no longer steaming.
Activate the Yeast
Mix the yeast with 2 tablespoons of comfortably warm water. The water should not be hot. Leave it for 10–15 minutes, until a light foam appears on the surface. If it remains completely still, begin again with fresh yeast.
Make the Shami Mixture
Pass the cooled chicken and split peas through a meat grinder together. A food processor can be used in short pulses, but stop once the mixture is smooth and cohesive rather than wet and pasty.
Add the foamed yeast, eggs, brewed saffron, black pepper and red pepper. Mix thoroughly, then work in the chickpea flour a little at a time. The mixture should be soft enough to make a tender patty but firm enough to hold a clean shape in your hand.
Cover and rest the mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Test one small patty before shaping the whole batch. If it spreads in the oil, mix in another spoonful of chickpea flour and test again.
Shape and Fry Shami Pok
- Pour enough oil into a heavy frying pan to reach about 1 cm up the side. Heat it over medium heat.
- Take a walnut-sized portion of the mixture, roll it gently and flatten it into a small disc.
- Press a hole through the centre with one finger. The ring shape lets the middle cook at the same pace as the edge.
- Lower the shami carefully into the oil without crowding the pan.
- Fry until deep golden underneath, turn once, then brown the second side.
- Transfer to a rack or paper-lined plate and allow the oil to drain.
The chicken and split peas are already cooked, so frying is mainly about setting the egg mixture and building a crisp surface. Keep the oil at a steady medium heat; very hot oil darkens the outside before the centre firms, while cool oil makes the patties greasy.
How to Serve Shami Pook
Serve the patties warm with flatbread, fresh herbs, radishes, pickles and sliced tomato. Their small size also makes them practical for a picnic or shared appetiser plate.
The full recipe makes roughly 40 pieces, enough for about 10 people as part of a larger meal. For a smaller household, halve every ingredient rather than changing only the eggs or flour. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly and reheat them in a dry frying pan or oven so the outside becomes crisp again.
