The joys of eating kebabs

By Rana Safvi   @iamrana |

2018-05-23 15:38:12

A brief, wondrous history of skewered meat.

Kebabs have not only dominated the kitchens of nawabs and ordinary folk, over time, they also became a popular idiom for the trial of a lover. There are many verses comparing a lover’s heart to a kebab.

• kiya kaamil hame’n ik umr mein soz-e-mohabbat ne

• huye ham aatish-e-gham se kebab aahista aahista

• I was whole, after burning in love for a lifetime,

• The fire of love, it grilled my heart like a kebab on slow fire

• — Wahshat Raza Ali Kalkatvi

So what exactly are kebabs and how did they travel to India?

Since the discovery of fire, whole animals or chunks of meat were cooked on open fire. At some point in time, early men and women learnt to pierce pieces of meat with wooden sticks to prevent getting burnt — thus, grilled food was invented.

The popular seekh kebab originated in Central Asia and comes from the Turkish word shish kebab, which literally means “skewer” and “roast meat”.

Shami kebab. [Photo and recipe by Rana Safvi]

There is a legend that Turkish soldiers would grill meat in open fields using their swords as skewers in their camps at night during their invasion of Anatolia.

Though they did not invent the shish kebab as Homer’s Odyssey refers to meat cooked on skewers in an open fire.

For the Central Asian nomad, cooking was not a luxury but a necessity. They would travel with meat pieces and mince, marinated in different spices to tenderise and flavour the meat and cook it in the evening when they camped. Since a lot of meat would be game unusual smells were also taken care of in the marinating process.

Mongol soldiers, too, carried on this practice keeping marinated meat in their saddlebags and cooking it easily and in quick time on fire, once they camped for the night. Since they travelled and conquered vast swathes of land, the shish kebab too travelled with them. This practical dish gave rise to exotic kebabs of many kinds.

Dum pukt kebab.

kebabs came to India with the Delhi Sultans and were refined under the Nawabs of Awadh in Lucknow’s kitchens.

The 15th century Nimatnama of the Sultans of Mandu or The Sultan’s Book of delight containing recipes from the reign of Ghiyath Shah mentions many recipes for kebabs.

In a fish seekh kebab recipe, cooked fish mince is mixed with coarsely ground coriander and roasted fennel seeds. To this, we add potherbs and ebony fruit. The kebab is then wrapped in cotton and skewered. A mixture of camphor, musk and rosewater with ghee is rubbed on the skewered mince every hour. The recipe says, serve it when it’s red.

The proud Kakori kebab.

The Sultan’s recipe sounds quite mysterious for I have no idea how this worked as cotton would have got burnt on the skewers. However, as there is also no mention of coals, it is possible that the cooked mince was just lightly rubbed with the mixture and the cotton removed before serving the kebabs.

The book Awadh Symphony by Aslam Mahmood gives a detailed description of kebabs. He mentions a Persian book Sheeshagaran Vaghairah Wa Bayan-I Aalat-I Aanha (the Illustrated book about makers of Glassware etc and a description of their tools) by Ghulam Yahya — translated by Mehr Afshan Farooqi as Crafting Traditions: Documenting Trades and Crafts in Early 19th century India — which mentions many types of kebabs.

These are Dumpukht kebab — a small goat, skinned and with offal etc removed, stuffed with curd and spices, cooked over a slow fire in a copper vessel; fish kebab; kofta, pasanda (slivers of marinated meat cooked on charcoal fire); shami kebab; gilani kebab (served in a gravy of clotted cream); galawat ke kebab (raw marinated mince tenderised with green papaya paste and then fried); chicken kebab and shahpasand kebab (with egg white and spices added to it).

The shami kebab is said to have been invented for a Nawab sahib of Awadh by a Syrian (Shaam in Arabic) cook because the toothless nawab sahib found it difficult to chew meat.

The humble Shami kebab.

Kofta was probably invented by a frugal soul who could not bear to see the wastage of meat pieces too small to be put on skewers. The word kofta originates from the Persian word kufta, meaning to beat or to grind.

There is an extremely elaborate version of kofta called Nargisi Kofta where a special kebab mix is wrapped around a boiled egg and fried.

The kofta is then cut carefully in half and because the white and yolk of the egg resemble the narcissus flower, it is called nargisi kofta. (Nargis is the Urdu name for narcissus flower.)

The Kakori kebab is said to have been invented by the rakabdar (chief chef) of the Nawab of Kakori, who had been taunted by a British officer over the rough texture of a seekh kebab. So, this kebab is made from a special cut from the leg of mutton and khoya added to it make it soft.

Most kebabs are very time consuming but the shami variety is simple and its paste can be made in bulk and frozen.

In the month of Ramzan, shaami kebabs are a very popular item on the table at the time of iftar (when the fast is broken at sunset).

Here’s a simple recipe that I learnt as a child and use even now.

Shami kebabs

Ingredients

For boiling

1. 1/2 kg mutton mince (Make sure you get mince without fat. Wash the mince and let it stay in a strainer so that all the excess water can drain off).

2. 1/2 cup chana dal.

3. 1/2 onion (medium size) chopped.

4. 1/2 ” ginger stick.

5. 1 onion chopped.

6. 1 badi elaichi (seeds only).

7. 3 pieces laung (cloves).

8. 1/2 tsp peppercorns.

9. ½ tsp cummin seeds.

10. 2 tez patta (bay leaves).

11. Whole red chilli (to taste).

12. Salt to taste.

To be added to the mince paste before grinding

1. ½ a onion sliced finely and fried.

2. 1 tsp grated dessicated coconut, lightly roasted on a dry frying pan.

Method

Put in all the ingredients, and bring them to boil with one-fourth cup of water.

Cook it for 10 minutes in the pressure cooker.

Once done, let it cool.

If there is some water left , open-cook it till dry. (If the paste is not thick enough, the kebabs will break.)

Grind to a paste in food processor.

Add finely chopped onions, green coriander and green chillies to the mix. I add ½ tsp chopped mint in summers as it gives it a fresh flavour.

Make kebab-shaped cutlets out of the mix and shallow fry.

The trick is to fry the kebabs on very slow heat and to add only dashes of oil at a time. With excess oil, the kebabs break.

Press down with a slotted spoon so that the kebab is evenly fried on all sides.

Take the ready kebabs out on a round flat dish and garnish with onion rings and mint leaves.

Serve them with chapatti or parantha and green chutney.

Green Chutney 1

I cup chopped green coriander leaves.

½ tsp garlic paste.

Few green chillies as per taste.

Salt to taste.

½ tsp lemon juice.

Grind into a fine paste the first four ingredients. When ready pour lemon juice and mix well.

Green Chutney 2

This is a summer special.

1 cup chopped mint leaves.

1 tbsp grated raw mango.

Few green chillies as per taste.

Salt to taste.

Grind everything to a fine paste, and savour it with kebabs.

Here’s a tomato Chutney by Mrs Zeba Husain :

3-4 tomatoes – pureed

Add green chill & salt to taste

Method

cook till reduced

Then add

1. a little gur powder ( Jaggery). It can be ground in a mixie

2 some oil and vinegar ..

3. a pinch of red chilli powder

1. Boiled potatoes -2-3

Finely chopped coriander leaves, green chilli and 1/2 tsp onions.

1/2 tsp roasted Cummin powdee

Khatai – amchoor – dried mango powder

Salt and red chili to taste

Peel potatoes add all ingredients and mash well. Salt should be last thing you add as mix will leave water.

Alternate mix:

You can stuff it with crushed paneer and peas instead of potatoes.

Or make it half paneer/ half potato mix

& add green boiled peas to it

2. 6 slices of bread ( edges trimmed)

Method:

1. Dip bread slice into slightly warm water and then lightly squeeze out water.

2. Keeping it in the palm of your hand fill potato mix in it and close the slice around it to form a roll.

3. Brush it with oil.

Bake either in an OTG / oven or air fryer.

Tasty and light snack for iftar

Serve with tomato ketchup

Keeping the theme as light, non oily foods for iftar, today I give the recipes for aaloo chat and Dahi Phulki.

All portions are for 3-4 people

Aloo Chat

Ingredients

3 potatoes boiled

Chat masala

Lemon – 1-2 tbsp depending on how sour you like it.

Garnish

Diced onions, green chilli and green coriander : onions & coriander 1tbsp each, chilli to taste

Method :

Boil the potatoes, cut them into small cubes

Sprinkle all the masala and lemon juice.

Mix well

Garnish with above

Dahi Phulki :

Ingredients

Gram flour – i/ cup

Diced Onion

A pinch of baking soda

Salt to taste

A pinch of ajwain seeds

1/2tsp garlic paste

Red Chilli powder to taste

1 cup dahi

1 bowl of hot water

For Garnish :

1/4 tsp each of cummin seeds and methi seeds, 1-2 whole red chili broken into two

1 tbsp oil

Method

Mix the gram flour with salt, Diced onions, baking soda, ajwain seeds, with a little bit of water. Beat well till you see bubbles.

Leave aside for half an hour.

Heat oil in kadhai and make small pakodi (we call it phulki)

Take out phulki From the kadhai, shaking off excess oil.

Put the phulki into the hot water for the oil to leave it. It also becomes soft.

Meanwhile in separate serving bowl mix curd with 1/2 cup water, garlic paste, salt and chilli powder.

Now take phulki out of water lightly pressing it so any water it’s soaked can be squeezed out.

Add to curd.

Heat the oil put in al ingredients of for Garnish. When crackling add to the dahi phulki.

It’s a lovely snack. Goes well with Chana ghughni, and Aloo Chat.

Enjoy your iftar

Link for ghughni recipe

http://ranasafvi.com/ghughni-dastarkhwan-e-ramzan/

put atta
salt
saunf
ajwain kasuri
methi
ghee
two eggs
a bit of milk
in a food processor
In a cup of warm water
add yeast
a bit of sugar.
when it foams add it to atta
add some pissa lassan
some bhuna zeera &mirch powder
Make a dough  and keep till well risen. Punch back and wait for second rising.

Now make rotis on tava…and cook (aag par sekna) on gas.
Put ghee on it
Enjoy

Sent by Mrs Zeba Hussain
#TavaNaan
#DastarkhwaneRamzan

Tuna Roundels
Ingredients:
Tuna (preferably in brine n not oil)- 1 can
Mayonnaise -enough to make a paste with the fish
Lemon juice to taste
Spring onions- chop finely both the green n white parts
Jalapeño- chop finely- 1/2 tbsp
Boiled egg-sliced
Lettuce leaves
Bread-cut into rounds
Method:
1. Drain the tuna n fork it nicely.
2. Mix together the fish, mayonnaise,jalapeño,onion,and lemon juice.
3. Place a lettuce leaf on the bread circle, spoon a large scoop of the tuna mixture and finish with a slice of egg.
4. Put in the fridge for a little while and serve cold.

Via Mrs Sakina Hussain

Quick Meetha Tukdra –
Ingredients:
Full cream milk – 11/2lts
Condensed milk – 1 tin
Bread – 8 slices
Choti Illaichi – 2
Method:
1.Cut the bread in half n deep fry till golden.
2.Boil the milk and illaichi till it reduces to less than half the quantity( keep stirring).
3.Throw the illaichi.
4.Add condensed milk and mix well.
5.Cook the pieces of bread in the milk for just a minute; a few at a time..should remain crisp.
6. Layer the bread in a dish.
7. Let d milk mixture boil till nice and thick.
8. Take off the fire. Add keowra and saffron.
9. Pour over the bread slices.
10. Garnish with silver warq and almonds.

Add keora and saffron. Serve cold.
Note: Be careful to stir in the condensed milk properly as it tends to sit at the bottom and burn.

Recipe via Mrs Sakina Hussain

Ingredients

3 white fish fillets (200 g each)
1 tbsp olive oil
pepper & salt
1 bunch fresh basil (15 g)
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp pinenuts
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
250 ml extra virgin olive oil
Method

Preheat the Airfryer to 180°C.

Brush the fish fillets with the oil and season with pepper & salt. coat with bread crumbs. Place in the cooking basket of the Airfryer and slide the basket into the Airfryer. Set the timer for 8 minutes.

Add basil leaves and place them with the garlic, pinenuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil in a food processor or pestle and mortar. Pulse or grind the mixture until it turns into a sauce. Add some salt to taste.

Place the fish fillets on a serving plate and serve them drizzled with the pesto sauce.

(Philips Air fryer recipes)
Sent by my friend
Neena Singh

Chicken mince 1/2 kg
2 finely very finely chopped onions, 5 cloves garlic finely chopped- almost a paste
Take dhania seeds &zeera seeds+ whole red mirch ( 1/4 tsp dhania,1/4 tsp zeera – 1/4 tsp mirch) roast on dry pan
– grind to a powder
Garam masala powder
Hara dhania & podina chopped finely
+1 tbsp olive oil.

Mix it well in the keema.
Use your hands to mix it well
Leave in fridge for 2 hours.
Shape as in photo

Put them in a non stick pan and cover. Turn flame on high
It will leave water let it cook in that. Turn it a couple of times so it’s evenly cooked
When water is dry
Add a bit of oil and let it fry for a bit
Keep turning so uniformly brown
Serve as an iftari  snack

Recipe sent by my friend Mrs Zeba Hussain