Kakori Seekh Kebab Lucknow Style

Ingredients

• 500 g minced mutton (keema) — use lean mutton with very little fat
• 2 tbsp roasted gram flour (besan) — dry roast in a pan until golden then cool
• 1 onion — very finely grated, water squeezed out completely
• 1.5 tbsp ginger paste
• 1.5 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp mace powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves — very finely chopped
• salt to taste
• ghee or oil for cooking

Method

1. Prepare the mince: Place the minced mutton in a mixing bowl. The mince should be very fine — if buying from a butcher ask for it to be minced twice through the machine for the finest texture. The smoothness of kakori kebab depends on fine mince.
2. Roast the gram flour: Place 2 tbsp gram flour in a dry pan on low heat. Roast stirring continuously for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and nutty smelling. Remove and cool completely. Roasted gram flour acts as a binder in kakori kebabs — it holds the mixture together without making the kebabs tough.
3. Grate and squeeze the onion: Grate 1 onion on the fine side of a box grater over a bowl. Gather the grated onion in a cloth and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. The onion must be dry — liquid from the onion will make the kebab mixture soft and it will not stay on the skewer.
4. Mix all ingredients: To the minced mutton add the roasted gram flour, squeezed grated onion, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, mace powder, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder, egg, finely chopped coriander and salt. Mix everything together thoroughly with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture must be uniform and slightly sticky.
5. Rest the mixture: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes. Resting lets the flavours blend and the egg and gram flour firm the mixture. Kakori kebab mixture that has not rested will slide off the skewer.
6. Test the mixture: Take a small amount and shape into a thin sausage around a skewer. Hold the skewer and press the mixture with your palm — it should stick firmly and not fall. If it slides, add 1 more tbsp roasted gram flour and mix.
7. Shape onto skewers: Wet your hands slightly. Take a portion of the mixture — about 3 tablespoons. Wrap it around a flat metal skewer (flat skewers hold the mixture better than round ones), pressing firmly and elongating it into a sausage shape about 10 to 12 cm long. The layer should be even and smooth, about 1.5 cm thick.
8. Cook — grill method: Brush the shaped kebabs with ghee. Grill on a charcoal grill or in an oven at 220°C (425°F) for 10 to 12 minutes turning once, until golden-brown with charred spots.
9. Or cook on a stovetop: Heat a griddle on medium-high. Brush with ghee. Carefully slide the shaped kebabs off the skewers (or leave on skewers and rest them across the width of the pan). Cook turning gently every 2 minutes for 8 to 10 minutes until golden on all sides.
10. Serve: Serve immediately with mint chutney, sliced raw onion rings and lemon wedges. The Lucknow way is to wrap a kakori kebab in a thin flatbread (roomali roti) with the chutney and onion inside.
11. Note: Kakori Kebab takes its name from a small town 15 km from Lucknow where, according to legend, a Nawab was embarrassed by the coarseness of the seekh kebabs served to a British officer and directed his khansama (head cook) to create a softer, more refined version. The result was the kakori kebab — smooth as silk, melting in the mouth. It is the technically most demanding kebab of Awadhi cuisine.