Roasted Kofta-Kebabs in a Rich Gravy
I may have spent the last few days thinking of a name to give this recipe, but all in vain. These fusion Kebabs are inspired by Kashmiri ma’che kabab and Turkish kebabs. A younger me would settle for “Turkshmiri” kebabs but the “mature” me doesn’t seem to be convinced enough with that.
The potentially divisive modifications
In this proudly inauthentic version of kebabs, I add a heap of finely chopped onions, bell peppers and fresh herbs to the mince. This is something I took from Turkish cuisine, after being bowled over by a kebab platter I once had at a Turkish restaurant. You might consider it unnecessary tinkering with the classical kebabs but all that matters is that it should be delicious. Plus, I like experimenting and I’m happy with the convenience and adaptability of this recipe as much as I am with the end result.
However, my favourite kebabs would still be the Kashmiri seekh kebabs. I am yet to come across someone who doesn’t like these kebabs. Think of a perfect amalgam of spices with ground meat wrapped around skewers and grilled on fire. Amazing, obviously! So from the Kashmiri seekh kebab recipe, I took the spices and tried to make it adaptable to home cooking.
Lastly, I stole the shape from the Kashmiri ma’che kabab or lahabi kebabs. They are classically shaped like a boat with a depression in the center. Our family waza (chef) also calls them tchari (sparrows) for some reason, though I don’t think he makes them resemble sparrows in any way. The inspiration for the gravy also came from here, or more closely from tamatar te kofte.
Too many sources of inspiration, I know! But did you ever hear anyone say that too many sources of inspiration spoil the kebabs?
Roasting kebabs? Why not?
Back home, we would conveniently flame grill seekh kababs on the stove top/ gas burner. Occasionally, we would use the outdoor charcoal based grill called angeeth, which would otherwise be reserved for post Bakr-Eid seekh tujji party. Here, I don’t have any of those options because, where we live, gas-based hobs are banned for their contribution to global warming. So all we have is an electric flameless hob and an oven. As such, baking is my best bet most of the times. Sadly, it comes at the cost of the smokiness in the flavour that charcoal or flame would produce. As I write this, I’m thinking that I should consider the method of coal smoking next time I cook these kebabs (*lightbulb moment*).
On the bright side, an advantage of oven cooking is that without using any oil the kebabs come out as good as fried. Because the fat oozes out from the lamb mince and the heat of the oven air fries them, sort of. They retain their shape, just shrink down a bit and do not dry out.
Sometimes I stop here for fresh roasted kebabs, to be served with chutneys and salads. Sometimes I take them a step further and cook them in a gravy, either tamatar kofta style (tomato based gravy) or lahabi kebab style which is a yogurt based gravy with spices. Either way, delicious is the word.
This recipe is loaded with texture and flavour. The procedure may come across as unorthodox but the result is pleasingly glorious.
Roasted Kofta-Kebabs in a Rich Gravy
Ingredients
Kebabs
- ½ kg lamb meat mince
- ½ cup finely chopped/grated onion
- ½ cup finely chopped bell peppers (red/yellow/green)
- ½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 1 green chili, chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp red chili powder (or to taste)
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1½ tsp fennel seed powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 egg
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Gravy
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1 green chili
- 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3-4 tomatoes (blended or puréed)
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp fennel seed powder
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- 2-3 cloves
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 1 tsp dried mint
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients, except egg, together in a big bowl. Use your hands to mix, just like you do when kneading a dough.
- Add in the egg and mix well.
- Cover the bowl and let it rest in the fridge for at least two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil. Shape the kebabs into cutlets or any shape you prefer, and place them onto the baking tray, one by one.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then flip each kebab over and bake for another 8-10 minutes.
Gravy
- Heat oil in a pot. Add the onions and fry until they turn golden brown.
- Add the garlic and green chilies and sauté for 1-2 minutes on low heat.
- Add in all the spices, along with one tablespoon of water. Mix well and add another tablespoon of water. Keep stirring until the oil starts to separate from the mixture.
- Add the tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add in the yogurt and mix well.
- Transfer the kebabs into the pot. Add water according to the desired consistency of the gravy. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add dried mint leaves, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it stand a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- It is best to use lean meat for these kebabs, preferably lamb shoulder.
- Half a kilo of lamb mince should yield 8 or 9 generously sized kebabs.