Chicken Shami Kebabs … patties from the past!

Deeba @ PAB

14 years ago

“What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?”
Lin Yutang

Here’s a change from cakes, cookies and desserts. An Indian savoury dish I experimented with a few weeks ago. Got it pretty right! Shami kebabs, as they are referred to in the Indian subcontinent, make for great cocktail snacks if you make small bite sized patties, and wonderful evening snacks served with lime, sliced onions and a green chutney. Serve them as main course, and you got a quick, delicious meal on the go. I often serve them with parathas with a tossed sliced onion, lime and green chili salad on the side, or in a wrap with a tangy, crunchy bell pepper salad. They also give an interesting fusion angle to the much loved hamburger. If you want to cut calories, use olive oil instead of clarified butter, though I think the taste does get enhanced because of the clarified butter or ghee.

Shami Kebab is a popular Pakistani and Indian kebab, that is composed of small patty minced mutton or beef, ground chickpeas and spices. Shami kebabs are an extremely popular snack in Pakistan and India. They are often garnished with lemon juice and/or sliced raw onions, and are usually eaten with chutney made from mint or coriander.

Some are of the opinion that these kebabs were introduced to South Asia during the Mughal era by Muslim emigrants from the Middle East. They had employed cooks from all over the Muslim world to serve in the royal kitchens. The Shami Kebab are also popular in Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. Another source states that the word Sham is evening in Hindi and Urdu and Sham-e-Awadh, evening in Lucknow of yore since the time of Nawab regime. The Awadh region has its own distinct Nawabi style cuisine, with various kinds of biryanis, kebabs and breads. Kebabs are also of different types – Kakori Kebabs, Galawati Kebabs, Shami Kebabs, Boti Kababs, Patili-ke-Kababs, Ghutwa Kababs and Seekh Kababs are among the known varieties.

My mother hails from Lucknow { Lucknow is in Uttar Pradesh, the state where the beautiful Taj Mahal is found } popularly known as the City of Nawabs, which is the erstwhile home ground of Awadhi cuisine. Our childhood was filled with kormas, biryanis and kebabs. Pizzas were a royal treat, and pasta was unheard of. Indian cuisine from across the country showed up at our table, yet most often it was the lamb curry or the kebab in many different avatars, all made from memory. In the good old days, goat meat was the popular choice. As times change and chicken gains preference over red meat, in our home at least, it seemed a fine time to experiment. Quick consultations with the mother led me to try a chicken kebab variation on an old lamb shami kebab recipe of hers.

The recipe is simple and straightforward, the processor is your friend here and does all the dirty work. A tip : I find that fresh garam masala holds the key to good taste, and even though it might mean a little extra work, it is well worth the effort! Every home in India has a different garam masala recipe, and it is entirely adaptable to taste. Don’t hesitate if you are missing an ingredient or two. Whole spices, fresh roasted to release their warming aromas, are the way to go! Another tip : If you are short on time and don’t want to add the chopped onions and fresh coriander to the cooked mince, smoke the cooked mince with a bit of smoldering coal, placed over a piece of foil on the cooked mince. Pour a few drops of clarified butter {or melted butter} to increase the smoke, and seal container quickly to trap the smoke in. Leave to stand for about 30 minutes, shut tight, and enjoy wonderful smoked kebabs!

The kebabs turned out great and therefore had to be shared. For those who make lamb kebabs often, this is a leaner version. For those who haven’t had a go at shammi kebabs, the time couldn’t be better. There is just one trick – to balance the amount of water and the cooking time, and make sure you dry all the liquid before grinding the cooked mince. Find what amount of cooking time works for you best. I now make about 40 kebabs from a kilo of mince and freeze it in flat patties between parchment paper. The freezer has never been more tempting than this.

Chicken Shami Kebabs
Minced chicken 500gms {from thigh tenders}
5-6 cloves garlic
1″ piece ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chana dal, washed and soaked overnight in fridge
1 portion fresh garam masala {recipe follows}
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup water {adjust if required}
2 tsps clarified butter, ghee

Salt to taste

Method:
Place the mince with all the ingredients, except the clarified butter / ghee, in a pressure cooker, and cook under pressure, on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes.
Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes, open and dry any remaining liquid on high heat. Discard the bay leaves. Adjust seasoning if required, and grind in a processor, adding the clarified butter / ghee to the cooked mince.
Take walnut sized portions, and make neat, tight patties between the palms of your hands. If you wish to freeze them, do so with parchment paper/wax paper/cling wrap between layers. This way, you can just remove a few from the freezer instead of defrosting the entire lot.
Serve hot with a green chutney, and finely sliced onions tossed in lime juice and salt.
Fresh Garam Masala
6-8 balls whole pepper
4 cloves
2 tsp cumin seeds / zeera
1 stick cinnamon {small}
3-4 green cardamom / chhoti elaichi
2-3 black cardamom / badi elaichi
2 pinches nutmeg, freshly grated
A bit of mace
1 tbsp white poppy seeds / khush khush
Method:
Place all ingredients except poppy seeds / khush khush in a heavy bottom saucepan or griddle and roast the whole spices on low heat till fragrant. Add poppy seeds and stir continuously for under a minute. The seeds will begin popping, Remove from heat immediately and cool. Grind and sieve.
Note: Be careful that the whole spices don’t burn, so stir them constantly and don’t leave them unattended. If you don’t have some of the spices, you can still make fairly good garam masala, so don’t fear! The magic comes from the freshly made masala, so do give it a shot.

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Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

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