Shami kababs are said to have been invented for a nawab who loved food. He was so overweight, could not mount or ride a horse and had lost all his teeth. The toothless nawab found it difficult to chew meat and to solve this problem, his highly skilled chef created these delicate kababs. Crispy on the outside, soft and silky within, ones that the nawab could enjoy. They make a delicious side to any meal, can be eaten on its own or with a flatbread accompanied with mint chutney and raw onion slices. Popular during the month of Ramadan and served at the time of iftar (when the fast is broken at sunset).
Traditionally, shami kababs are made with boneless meat (beef, lamb or mutton). The fibrous texture of the meat enabling the kabab to hold its shape even though cooked chana dal and egg are used as binding agents. Meat enhanced with spices is pressure cooked till tender. Ground with cooked chana dal, an egg and more spices. Then, the combined mixture is shaped, stuffed with a filling and shallow-fried until golden brown. Amazingly delicious, the flavourful meat with the bite from the filling is an absolute party in the mouth.
Traditionally, shami kababs are made with boneless meat (beef, lamb or mutton). The fibrous texture of the meat enabling the kabab to hold its shape even though cooked chana dal and egg are used as binding agents. Meat enhanced with spices is pressure cooked till tender. Ground with cooked chana dal, an egg and more spices. Then, the combined mixture is shaped, stuffed with a filling and shallow-fried until golden brown. Amazingly delicious, the flavourful meat with the bite from the filling is an absolute party in the mouth.
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Shami Kabab
(Yields 12)
Meat
Ingredients:
1/2 kg boneless beef, lamb or mutton (wash and cut into rough pieces)
2 long green chillies
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
1-inch ginger (sliced)
1/2 cup brown onions
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
handful coriander leaves
handful mint leaves
juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)
salt
Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a pressure cooker. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for 15 whistles until meat is tender. Once all the steam has been released, dry out all the moisture and set meat aside to cool.
Kabab
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chana dal
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 egg
salt
Filling
Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped finely)
1 long green chilli (chopped finely)
few coriander leaves (chopped)
Method:
Wash and soak dal in warm water for 30 minutes. Transfer to a saucepan with clean water and cook with salt for 20 minutes until done. Drain out the water through a strainer or colander and reserve the dal.
In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients under filling and keep aside.
In a food processor, grind cooked meat with dal, spice powders and egg. Taste and add salt, if required. Divide into 12 equal balls.
Wet your hands and take a ball of the ground meat mixture in your left hand. Make a well and stuff one tablespoon of the filling. With your right hand fingers encase the filling and shape into a round flat patty. Continue the same with rest of the balls.
On medium flame, heat a skillet with little oil. Shallow fry the kababs on both sides until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve hot with mint chutney and onion rings. Season the latter with lime juice and salt.
Note:
Mint Chutney
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
4 long green chillies
1-inch ginger
1 teaspoon chaat masala
10 cashewnuts
3 heaped spoonfuls of yogurt
juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon black salt
salt (if required)
Method:
In a blender, grind all the ingredients to a fine paste.
Note:
(Yields 12)
Meat
Ingredients:
1/2 kg boneless beef, lamb or mutton (wash and cut into rough pieces)
2 long green chillies
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
1-inch ginger (sliced)
1/2 cup brown onions
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
handful coriander leaves
handful mint leaves
juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)
salt
Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a pressure cooker. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for 15 whistles until meat is tender. Once all the steam has been released, dry out all the moisture and set meat aside to cool.
Kabab
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chana dal
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 egg
salt
Filling
Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped finely)
1 long green chilli (chopped finely)
few coriander leaves (chopped)
Method:
Wash and soak dal in warm water for 30 minutes. Transfer to a saucepan with clean water and cook with salt for 20 minutes until done. Drain out the water through a strainer or colander and reserve the dal.
In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients under filling and keep aside.
In a food processor, grind cooked meat with dal, spice powders and egg. Taste and add salt, if required. Divide into 12 equal balls.
Wet your hands and take a ball of the ground meat mixture in your left hand. Make a well and stuff one tablespoon of the filling. With your right hand fingers encase the filling and shape into a round flat patty. Continue the same with rest of the balls.
On medium flame, heat a skillet with little oil. Shallow fry the kababs on both sides until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve hot with mint chutney and onion rings. Season the latter with lime juice and salt.
Note:
- The kababs are very delicate so handle them carefully and gently.
- Though an egg is added to the meat mixture for binding, kababs can also be dipped in beaten egg and then, shallow-fried.
- No salt added to the filling.
- Learned how to make shami kababs at the College of Home Science with the above filling. Ground meat was used and I was not happy with the outcome. Hence, came up with my own recipe with boneless meat and spices, but kept the same filling. Amazingly delicious and out of this world.
- Store bought fried brown onions were used.
Mint Chutney
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
4 long green chillies
1-inch ginger
1 teaspoon chaat masala
10 cashewnuts
3 heaped spoonfuls of yogurt
juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon black salt
salt (if required)
Method:
In a blender, grind all the ingredients to a fine paste.
Note:
- Cashewnuts provides thickness or body to the chutney.
- To facilitate grinding, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
