It is dusk in New Delhi. There is a crowd of people jostling around the kebab stall, trying to get the attention of the counter guys. No question of a queue for this hungry crowd, of course! You will get served if you are lucky enough to push your way to the front. The cooks are busy turning the kebabs on the spit. The aroma has my mouth watering. I stand back and watch my brother-in-law and husband push their way through. Amazingly they are back in a short while with the kebabs wrapped in foil with a side of thinly sliced vinegared onions and mint chutney. They also manage to get some rumali rotis (soft, thin, oversized stretchy rotis that go well with tandoori dishes). We head home to feast.
Seekh Kebabs are made out of ground meat, predominantly lamb, beef, or chicken, flavored with aromatic spices. This recipe is with beef. The meat is marinated with spices and shaped into sausage-like cylinders on skewers. Typically cooked in a tandoor in restaurants, it can be grilled or barbequed at home.
Seekh Kebabs (Ground Meat Skewers)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef ((20% fat content))
- 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- ½ medium onion
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 medium Serrano green chili (optional)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (loosely packed, save a little for garnish)
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp chili powder (optional, to taste)
- ¾ tsp dry mango powder (amchur) (found in Indian grocery stores)
- 1½ tsp salt ( or to taste)
- 1 tbsp oil
For Garnish
- 1 lemon (sliced or quartered )
- 1 tsp fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Using a skillet or griddle, dry roast the whole coriander seeds and cumin seeds on medium heat until fragrant. Approximately 1 minute.
- Pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool.
- Grind to a fairly fine powder in a spice or coffee grinder.
- Process the onion, cilantro, ginger, garlic, and green chili into a fine paste in a processor or blender.
- Pour the mixture through a fine strainer and drain the excess liquid by pressing down on it with a spoon or paper towel.
- Add the beef, the ground paste, and the rest of the spices in a large bowl.
- Knead till all the ingredients are well mixed. Take at least 5 minutes to do this, as it helps keep the kebabs from breaking on the skewer.
- Rest the mixture in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
- Divide the ground beef mixture into 8-10 portions.
- Form into smooth meatballs.
- On a flat surface, using your fingers, roll the meatballs into sausage shapes about 4" long and 3/4" in diameter. Make sure they are of even thickness.
- Gently slide a skewer through the middle. You can also form and shape the kebabs directly on the skewer. Make sure the meat is evenly distributed on the skewer.
- Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more until ready to use.
- Heat a well-oiled cast iron or nonstick stove top grill on medium-high.
- Grill the kebabs, rotating carefully, until evenly well-browned on the surface and cooked through. It takes about 10-15 minutes. (The kebabs can be cooked in several ways. See notes).
- Garnish with lemon slices or wedges and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
- Serve with rumali roti, naan, or flatbread with mint chutney and thinly sliced onions (red or yellow).
Notes
Other ways to serve Seekh Kebabs:
1. I will sometimes serve the kebabs with a hot dog bun, mayonnaise, and mint chutney topped with sliced onions for an Indo-American fusion. You can pickle the onions (red or yellow) in vinegar a couple of days ahead to add a little zest.
2. Fix smaller-sized kebabs for cocktail parties.