Seekh Kebab

In my past life, I was a Knowledge Manager and a disorganized writer. In this life, I am a stay-at-home wife who is dabbling with painting, more organized writing, home décor and also documenting food and cooking.

I have my off days too. I hope you will indulge me while I take a culinary detour for the day and share with you a not-so-good-looking-seekh-kebab.

I did work hard on it, you know. But my inexperience on the grill led me to this seekh kebab hara-kiri. But for better or worse, I know you will remain my true reader. I promise I will make it up to you. Sooner if not later.

Ingredients for Seekh Kebab are:

500 grams mince meat (you can use beef/lamb/goat/chicken, no need for lean meat though)
1 egg
1 medium red onion, crispy fried
4-5 fat cloves of garlic
1 inch knob of ginger grated
Handful of green chilies
Handful of fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
Half teaspoon black pepper powder
One and half teaspoon garam masala powder
2 teaspoons desi ghee
Salt

For the garnish:

1 medium red onion, finely sliced
Slices of lemon / lime
Crushed dry mint leaves mixed with Chaat Masala

In a blender, mix together the meat, fried onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies and coriander.
 
Transfer the mixture into a glass bowl and add one egg, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili and pepper powder, garam masala powder, and desi ghee.

Pound well till all the ingredients are mixed well. Leave for 30 minutes. Add salt and give it one last mix. I don’t add salt to my kebab mixture, as it releases moisture which makes my seekh kebab mixture soggy.

Heat oven / grill to the maximum. I use metal skewers for seekh kebabs. But if you don’t have them, use bamboo ones but soak them in water for 20 minutes before you use them.

Make your hands slick with some vegetable oil and rub them on the skewers. Weave the meat mixture on the skewers to make thin sausage-like shapes on the skewers.

If your meat mixture is difficult for you to handle, add some bread crumbs to it.

Place the skewers on the grill and brush with ghee or oil. Traditionally Seekh Kebabs are made in the Tandoor or Charcoal Grill. But I have barbecued them today.
It usually takes about 4-5 minutes to cook the meat. Turn midway to get even color and cooking on the kebabs.

Drizzle some lemon juice on the Seekh Kebabs and sprinkle the kebab masala of dry mint leaves and chaat masala. Serve with onion rings and coriander chutney. 

Seekh Kebabs, which are better looking than mine are served as appetizers. But they are great to go with your daal-roti dinner too!