Seekh kabab savvy

Seekh+kabab+savvy

When I got home from school on Monday, the smell of barbecue greeted me as I walked through the front door. I was a little confused because, although my parents have a catering business, I didn’t remember having an event to cater that day. I traced the smell back to the garage where I spotted my dad and cousin grilling meat. Specifically, seekh kababs or kabab on a skewer. As soon as I found out what they were making, I rolled up my sleeves and joined in.

Seekh kababs are easy to make, but they require quite a few ingredients.

You will need:

  • 1 lb ground beef (fatty)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
  • ¼ cup mint, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup coriander, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 2 green chillies (grind into paste in an electric grinder)
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • ¾ tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 skewers

After you’ve compiled all the ingredients, mix them together in a large bowl and let them sit for about 30 minutes. Then, your hands get messy. You pick up a skewer in one hand and a fistful of meat in the other and shape the meat into a hot dog form around the skewer. If you close your eyes, it may feel like you’re molding clay, so don’t be afraid to channel your inner artist. Repeat this until all the meat is gone or you’re out of skewers. Now, all you have to do is grill until the kababs are cooked all the way through. This recipe will make 6-7 kababs depending on how big you make them.

Traditionally, seekh kababs are served on special occasions accompanied by various chutneys and a yogurt condiment called raita. The raita helps dial down the heat from the green chillies, but if you don’t want to make that, ketchup is always a good option. Seekh kababs are incredibly diverse in the sense that they can be eaten on their own, with naan, or in a wrap. Therefore, they’re the perfect dish for both formal and informal events.