There are some delicacies that you always order when you eating out, but never even dare to cook at home! Seekh Kebab is one such favourite. I had always thought this is too difficult a food to cook at home. Not anymore!
Though traditional kebabs originated in the Middle East, you’ll now find them featured in restaurant menus across the world. Ground meat seasoned with some great aromatic spices and onions, molded around skewers and slow cooked – that’s seekh kebab on a skewer for you.
This is probably the easiest seekh kebab recipe that you’ll come across. I have tailored it for home cooking. I used minced lamb, freshly pounded spices, and set up everything from scratch including the mint-cilantro sauce. The result, a fresh plate of food with a wonderful balance of flavours!
Try this recipe next time you have guests at home! Treat your friends to your new party menu!
For this post, I pan-fried the kebabs, but you barbecue them or cook them in a grill.
Homemade Seekh Kebab
Ingredients
Dry spices
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3 - 4 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 500 grams minced lamb
- 1 onion medium
- 1 inch ginger piece
- 4 - 5 pods garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed dry chillies
- 1/2 cup Cilantro (Coriander leaves) chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- to taste salt
- 9 skewers
For mint-cilantro sauce
- 1/4 cup Cilantro (Coriander leaves) chopped
- 1/2 cup mint leaves chopped
- 3 tablespoons yogurt
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Finely chop the onions, garlic and ginger. Chop the cilantro (coriander) leaves leaving out the stalks. Ensure that you don't leave any water in these items. If the ingredients are wet, the kebab mix will not hold together. Place the minced lamb in a mixing bowl.
- Heat up a pan, and dry fry the spices (exclude the bay leaves) just enough to release their aroma. This will take 2-3 minutes on a medium flame. Let it cool, add the bay leaves, and blitz to a coarse powder in a blender.
- Add this spice mix to the minced lamb, along with the turmeric powder, chopped onions, garlic, ginger, crushed red chillies, chopped cilantro leaves, and salt. Drizzle with lime juice, mix well using your hands to get all the ingredients evenly distributed. Let this marinate for 30 minutes. If you have a time crunch, skip the marination, but remember - you have to let time do its magic!
- We have our sheek kebab mix ready. Important: If you feel the meat mixture is wet, squeeze out all the water using a muslin cloth.
- Divide the kebab mix equally into 9 equal portions, and roll them into balls.
- Take a kebab ball, flatten using your palm, and roll it around a skewer. Repeat for all the kebab balls.
- Heat a non-stick pan, and apply some oil. Once the pan is hot enough, reduce to a medium flame, and cook the skewers, two at a time (or more depending on the size of your pan). Turn them over occasionally , and cook until they are evenly fried to a nice brown colour on all sides. Take them off, cook the remaining kebabs in batches.
- Blitz 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves with 1/4 cup water. Add 3 tablespoons yogurt, salt, and mix well. This is our mint-cilantro dipping sauce.
- Serve the seekh kebabs with the mint-cilantro sauce, some freshly cut tomato, cucumber, onion, and lime slices.
Wow! I would love to have it. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I love all the desi food of Yaadgaar East London Restaurant.
keep sharing 🙂
Thank you, Bella! 🙂
Thank you Sundari! It turned out well! 🙂
Very true, few attempt this at home. Neatly presented, and looks delicious
Thank you Shefali! I was looking for the easiest way to make seekh kebabs without compromising on the flavours! I am sure you’ll like it. Let me know after you serve it. 🙂
Thank you very much Sujata! Yes, I would say it was delicious 😉
looks sumptuous.. very different.. never thought of making kebab this way. will surely try it .. good job take it easy chef!
Looks as if straight from a restaurant kitchen! I’m sure it would be delicious