Sosis Bandari
سوسیس بندری·(so-sees ban-da-ree)
The Iranian-American Pantry & Prep (Setting the Sofreh)
It’s a sweltering port-city street food born in southern Iran, somehow perfected for a Midwest weeknight. The secret here isn’t a fancy ingredient—it’s entirely about technique. You take standard all-beef franks, cut them on a bias, and bury them in onions. But the real magic, the trick that makes this taste exactly like a bustling Tehran sandwich shop, is frying the tomato paste in hot oil until it hits a deep brick-red. That simple move strips the tinny, raw taste away and builds a fiercely savory, spicy sauce that demands to be stuffed into a soft roll.
Ingredients
- all-beef hot dogs14 oz
- yellow onions3 large
- neutral oil3 tbsp
- tomato paste3 tbsp
- ground turmeric1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- cayenne pepper1/2 tsp
- yellow curry powder1/2 tsp
- warm water1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Caramelize the onions until jammy and sweet.
Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Sauté the sliced onions slowly for 8 to 10 minutes until they soften, turn translucent, and take on a light golden color. Do not let them turn dark or crispy.
- 02
Sear the sliced sausages.
Push the soft onions to the outer edges of the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the center, drop in the sausages, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until they puff slightly and develop a browned crust, then toss them with the onions.
- 03
Fry the tomato paste and spices to eliminate the raw, canned flavor.
Clear a small circle in the middle of the pan again. Drop the tomato paste directly onto the hot surface along with the turmeric, black pepper, cayenne, and curry powder. Fry in the residual oil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste deepens to a brick-red.
- 04
Simmer to build the clinging, spicy sauce.
Mix the fried paste thoroughly into the sausages and onions. Pour in the warm water, stir to deglaze, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the water reduces to a thick, glossy glaze.
Notes
The Potato Debate
Authentic Abadani Sosis Bandari relies purely on meat and onions. If you want the nostalgic, bulked-up family version (Sosis Sibzamini), dice two russet potatoes, fry them separately until crispy and golden, and fold them into the skillet right before serving so they don't turn to mush.
Setting the Sofreh
This is fundamentally a street food sandwich. Serve it stuffed generously into soft French sub rolls, layered with thinly sliced tomatoes, briny Persian pickled cucumbers (khiar shoor), and a handful of fresh parsley.
From Saffron in the Suburbs.