Classic Indian Recipes: Kebabs

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

From Indian Cookery by E.P. Veerasawmy, 1915.

In all Islamic countries Kababs of various kinds are prepared as an every-day dish, and it is quite a familiar sight to see Kababs being roasted before charcoal fires in the bazaars of the Orient and sold with Rotis of different kinds. Kababs differ in different parts, both in appearance and flavour, and also in materials. The further East we go the more spicy Kababs become, and their formation is very considerably altered.

They may be made of large pieces of meat cooked in their own juice, or of smaller pieces packed on skewers and grilled or roasted, or minced and ground in a paste and formed into oval cutlets and fried. Sometimes they are pressed on to skewers and grilled.

Shikampooree Kabab

In a little ghee or other fat, fry for 3 or 4 minutes: 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, a 1/2-inch piece of fresh or pickled ginger and 2 fresh or pickled chillies (all chopped very finely).

Then add:—

A handful of green coriander leaves well washed and dried or 1 teaspoonful of ground corianders.

1 teaspoonful of ground turmeric.
½ teaspoonful of ground cummin seed.
½ teaspoonful of ground almonds.
½ teaspoonful of ground cheroonjee.
½ teaspoonful of ground allspice.
A large pinch of ground cinnamon.
A large pinch of ground cardamoms.
A small pinch of ground cloves,
1 tablespoonful of Chenna flour (Basun).

Mix thoroughly and continue the slow cooking for about 5 minutes longer. Then add 1 lb. of finely minced lean meat and 1 tablespoonful of thick cocoanut milk. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Salt to taste. Turn out the contents of pan and cither grind or pound this mixture into a fine paste.

Blend together dry curds (Dhye) and fresh mint with a pinch of salt. Then take sufficient meat paste to form a ball the size of a billiard ball, and depress this ball gradually in the palm of your hand until you produce a shallow depression, in which you place ½ teaspoonful of the curds or Dhye mixture. Then gradually work the meat upwards until the curd is covered completely and you have a round flat cutlet. These cutlets are fried a golden brown.

Moglai Hoosaini Kabab (Spicy)

Add to 1 lb. of very finely minced lean mutton, 4 green chillies, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 large onion, and a 1-inch piece of fresh or pickled ginger (all minced very fine).

Fry the following ingredients lightly for 2 or 3 minutes in a dessertspoonful of ghee or other fat:

1 dessertspoonful of dessicated cocoanut.
1 teaspoonful of ground almonds.
1 teaspoonful of Chenna flour (Basun).
1 teaspoonful of ground corianders.
1 teaspoonful of ground turmeric.
A small pinch of ground cinnamon.
A small pinch of ground cloves.
A small pinch of ground cardamoms.
A small pinch of ground allspice.

Mix, add the meat mixture, stir thoroughly and continue the slow cooking for 5 to 10 minutes. Salt to taste. Turn the contents out and either grind or pound this meat mixture into a fine paste, adding a squeeze of lemon juice. The paste is formed into oval shaped cutlets and fried a golden brown, or pressed on to metal skewers and grilled, basting well.

Sami Kabab (Spicy)

1 lb. of finely minced lean mutton.
1 dessertspoonful of ground corianders.
1 teaspoonful of ground turmeric.
1 teaspoonful of ground ginger.
1 teaspoonful of ground chillies.
1 teaspoonful of ground Kus Kus.
1 teaspoonful of fine dessicated cocoanut.
1 pinch of ground cloves.
1 pinch of ground cinnamon.
1 pinch of ground cardamoms.
1 dessertspoonful of ground Chenna flour (Bengal Gram) or ordinary flour.
Salt to taste.

Make a mixture of the above ingredients.

In a stewpan warm 2 ozs. of ghee or other fat and fry lightly in it 2 small onions and 2 cloves of garlic, both finely minced.

Add to this the above mixture, stir well and cook slowly for 10 or 15 minutes. Turn out, let it cool, and then either grind or pound it into a paste with a squeeze of lemon juice. Form into oval cutlets and fry in the usual way, or press on to metal skewers and grill, basting well.

Moglai Sami Kabab (Plain)

2 ozs. of ghee or other fat.
1 tablespoonful of Korma mixture.
1 teaspoonful of ground turmeric.
3 or 4 finely chopped fresh or pickled chillies.
1 teaspoonful of finely chopped fresh or pickled green ginger.
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced.
1 onion, finely minced.

Fry lightly in the ghee or other fat all the above ingredients for 3 or 4 minutes, then add to it 1 lb. of finely minced fresh, lean mutton or beef and cook for 10 minutes on a slow fire with the pan uncovered. Add a tablespoonful of Chenna Bengal gram flour) or other flour. Salt and lemon juice to taste.

Turn the mixture out to cool, then grind or pound it into a fine paste, shape into oval cutlets and fry in the usual way, or press on to metal skewers and grill, basting well.

Dry Hoosaini Kababs

1 lb. of very finely minced beef or mutton.
1 medium sized onion, minced finely
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced finely
1/2 teaspoonful of ground chillies.
1/2 teaspoonful of ground ginger.
1 teaspoonful of ground turmeric.
1 saltspoonful of ground cinnamon.
1 saltspoonful of ground cardamoms.
A small pinch of ground cloves.
Pepper and salt to taste.

Blend all the above ingredients together with an egg. Shape them into oval cutlets and fry in boiling ghee or other fat.

Devilled Kabab Curry — Shythani Kabab Ka Salun

1 lb. of lean mutton cut up into ½-inch squares and packed on to wooden skewers alternately with button onions or small shallots, cut in halves, and sliced green ginger, with occasionally here and there a thin slice of garlic.

Sprinkle over with cayenne pepper, and gently fry in ghee or other fat for about 10 minutes, then drain.

In a saute pan fry lightly in the fat in which the Kababs have been fried:

2 tablespoonsful of chopped onion.
½ small teaspoonful of chopped garlic.
3 or 4 fresh or pickled chillies, cut lengthwise.

Then add a heaped tablespoonful of curry powder and a dessertspoonful of tomato paste or puree. Mix well and continue the cooking for 3 or 4 minutes longer.

Then with a very little water convert it into a thickish gravy. Now add the skewers of meat. Cover the pan, shake it occasionally and cook slowly until the meat is quite done. Salt and lemon juice to taste.

A delicious but very hot curry.

Kooftah Kabab

1 lb. of fresh mutton or beef freed from skin and fat and minced very finely.
1 tablespoonful of Kooftah mixture.
1 tablespoonful of finely chopped onion.
½ teaspoonful of very finely chopped garlic.
1 egg.
1 dessertspoonful of Dhye (sour curds).
Butter or ghee.
1 tablespoonful of flour.
Salt.

Partially cook in sufficient butter or ghee the onions and garlic, then add the Kooftah mixture. Mix well and cook for 4 or 5 minutes longer on a slow fire. Remove from the fire and let the mixture cool down, then add to it the meat, Dhye, egg, flour and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly, and taking up a heaped tablespoonful of the mixture, either shape it into oval cutlets and fry in ghee or other fat, or preferably cover small skewers with the mixture and either grill or roast before a charcoal fire, basting well.

Marinade for Kababs

Pound in a mortar:
2 or 3 tablespoonsful of chopped onions.
4 cloves of garlic, and add gradually to it:—
1 dessertspoonful of ground corianders.
a teaspoonful of ground turmeric.
1 teaspoonful of ground Kus Kus.
½ teaspoonful of ground chillies.
½ teaspoonful of ground ginger.

Now stir into it a tablespoonful or more of mustard, gingelli or olive oil and ½ pint of thick Tyre (sour curds). Lemon juice and salt to taste. Blend all well together.

Moglai Kabab

1 lb. of lean mutton cut up in large pieces is marinaded for an hour or two in the Marinade for Kababs. (See above).

The whole is then turned into a saucepan and, without any additional moisture, cooked slowly until the meat is quite tender. Add salt to taste.

Stick Kabab (Seekh Kabab)

1 lb. of lean mutton, cut up in ½-inch squares and marinaded in the Kabab marinade (see above) for an hour or two. Then pack on wooden or metal skewers, 4 to 5 inches long, alternate pieces of the meat from the marinade, tiny button onions, and thin slices of green or pickled ginger until the skewer is tightly packed, leaving the ends free for roasting before the fire or grilling over it. Baste well.

Plain Stick Kababs (Seekh Kababs)

1 lb. of lean mutton or beef, freed from fat and skin.

Cut the meat up into even pieces about an inch square and ½-inch thick and marinade it for 2 or more hours in the marinade for Kababs. (See page 63).

Take 4-inch long skewers and pack on each six pieces of meat. Grill over a charcoal fire or on an ordinary grill, basting them frequently with ghee or oiled butter until cooked.

These Kababs are eaten dry with Chuppaties, but they can also be served with plain rice or Kicheree. A gravy in that case is made by frying in ghee or butter the ingredients which formed the marinade.

Goanese Stick Kabab

1 lb. of lean mutton and 1 lb. of pork cut up in ½-inch squares and packed alternately on 4-inch to 5-inch wooden skewers with thin slices of green or pickled ginger between them.

In 2 ozs. of ghee or other fat lightly fry for 2 or 3 minutes:

1 large onion, sliced finely.
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, sliced finely
6 fresh or pickled chillies cut lengthwise.

Add to this a heaped tablespoonful of Vindaloo mixture. Mix and blend with it a dessertspoonful of tomato paste or puree, gradually thinning it down with a little tamarind water to a thick gravy in which the packed skewers of meat are cooked until tender. Salt to taste.

Dry Kababs of Mutton and Pork

(Indo-Portuguese)

½ lb. of pork and ½ lb. of mutton are cut up into 1-inch cubes and packed on metal skewers alternately with thin slices of green ginger and small button onions. Sprinkle over with black pepper and salt. Grill over or before a charcoal fire and baste well whilst grilling. Squeeze lemon juice to taste over the Kababs before serving.

Hurran Ka Gosht Kabab

Steaks of well hung venison.

Make a paste with either vinegar or lemon juice of:

1 dessertspoonful of ground turmeric.
½ teaspoonful of ground chillies.
Salt to taste.

Rub this thoroughly into the steaks and either grill or fry.

Veerasawmy, E.P. Indian Cookery. Arco Publishers, 1915.

E.P. Veerasawmy

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