Cuisine is the tactile connection we have to breathing history.History and culture offer us a vibrant living society that we taste through cuisine.All cuisine is a reflection of the society from which it emanates … in the end cuisine is the result of culture”
Clifford Wright
When it’s time for celebration, clink glasses or serve these kebabs in them! Another gem of a recipe, adapted from this Shammi kebab recipe from Mallika @ Quick Indian Cooking. These have become a regular on the menu, & you can always find a box in my freezer. Kebabs like this are very handy indeed, & serve well for a delicious snack, or even a dinner in a roll. These are the handiest & quickest dinner wraps in flatbreads/chapatis that I make often, & are greedily devoured with a slathering of dip, & a topping of finely sliced onions, tossed in lime & salt!A Shammi Kebab is a small patty of minced beef, mutton or chicken and ground chickpeas and spices. These are India’s most popular kebabs of Mughal origin. Shami kebabs are an extremely popular snack in India and Pakistan. They are often garnished with lemon juice and/or sliced raw onions, and are usually eaten with chutney made from mint or coriander. They are a nice addition to the main menu at a dinner party. Just one thing to remember…they must be served hot. Run them in the microwave to reheat them if need be, as they taste best when hot, & ‘bestest’, fresh from the pan!!!The recipe is a neat lean lamb mince kebab recipe, that can be prepared much in advance. I usually make a double batch & sneak half into the freezer, & gleefully enjoy the feeling that I have some ready to eat yummies on hand always. At this time too…yes!! I have adapted it in my own small way, & it’s a big hit.Habitually, I now make my garam masala, fresh, each time. I think it’s because I’m totally in love with my stone pestle & mortar I picked up when I visited Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, South India. You can substitute it for ready-made garam masala. Or else, go as per the original recipe, where whole spices are cooked with the mince, & everything is ground together later. Of course I’m envious of all your Cuisine-arts, Kitchen-aids etc, but that’s another story. For the time being, have found my own convenient way around!Shammi Kebabs adapted from Quick Indian Cooking Lean goat mince – 1/2 kilo (from shank) Onions – 2; finely chopped Ginger – 2′ piece; finely chopped Chana dal (skinned, split bengal gram) – 1/2 cup; soaked for an hour Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp Bay leaves – 2-3 Garam masala – 1 tsp (I grind fresh garam masala) Green chillies – 2-3; chopped Fresh coriander leaves – 1 bunch; chopped fine Ghee – 1 tsp (optional) Method:
Heat some oil in a pan. Saute the onions until translucent. Add the bay leaves & garam masala.
Add mince & roast well till browned. Add the dry masalas, soaked chana dal, ghee & about 1/4 cup of water. Add salt to taste. Cook till mince cooked & dry. I pressure cook it, on low, for about 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the dal squishes easily between your fingers.
I smoke the mince at this point with a piece of hot coal to get the smoked flavour.
Cool & grind with green chillies in food processor. Adjust seasoning. Add chopped coriander leaves if you like, & make small patties (about 2″ ones) & store in boxes between layers of cling wrap. This just makes it easier to use even small batches if you have frozen the entire lot.
To serve, fry 1-2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan, and lay the patties out in a single layer. Fry on low heat, without overcrowding the pan. Do not disturb too often. Each side will take about 10 minutes to get a nice crust. Serve with onion rings, lime wedges & a green chutney!
