Kebabs are a wide variety of meat dishes originating from Iran and now popular across the world. The word kebab usually refers to the shish kebab cooked on skewer and served wrapped in bread with a salad and dressing. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb but now a variety of meats like beef, fish, seafood and chicken are very popular among the kebab lovers.
Seekh kebab are made of any type of minced meat with spices and cooked traditionally in tandoor and served with mint sauce. Seekh kebabs are also served rolled in a naan bread which is much like the famous doner kebab. The ingredients are an integral part of the preparation of seekh kebab, aromatic herbs and spices are used to flavour the kebab and fat or cheese is added to keep the kebab moist. These delicious juicy kebabs can be made with any minced meat; you can replace the chicken with lamb also. They are nice appetisers and make a nice side dish to the main meal also.
Shahi seekh kebab
Ingredients
Chicken mince 1kg
Ginger, paste 3tbsp
Brown onion, paste 1¼ cup
Green chilli, paste 1tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped 3tbsp
Garam masala 2tsp
Red chilli powder 2tsp
Salt 2tsp
Vegetable oil 3tbsp
Cheddar cheese ¾cup
Onion, chopped 1cup
Bell pepper, chopped 1 cup (red + yellow + green)
Butter ¼ cup (for basting)
Chat masala 2tsp
Method
Mix the chicken mince with ginger paste, brown onion paste, green chilli, garam masala, red chilli powder, coriander leaves, salt and processed cheese.
In a separate bowl, mix together onion and chopped bell peppers.
Squeeze out excess water if any from the mince mixture and mix thoroughly.
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Shape the chicken mince on skewer to form a barrel.
Moist your hands with water so that the mixture does not stick to your hands while shaping the kebab.
Coat the kebab with the chopped onion and bell pepper mixture.
Roast in oven or clay tandoor/grill for 10-15 minutes.
Baste with butter at regular intervals to ensure even cooking and colour.
Remove from skewer and serve hot with mint sauce and choice of bread.
Fruit savarin
Savarin au fruit is a classic yeast cake with cream filling in the centre and topped with fresh sliced fruits. The batter used to make the savarin is rich and contains eggs, milk and sugar. The savarin is thought to be originated in Poland in the 18th century. Also the savarin was brought by the king of Poland and gifted to the French ruler and from there it gained popularity. Savarin dough is similar to brioche dough and brioche can also replace the savarin in case you plan to make the recipe small and easy.
Fruit savarin
Ingredients
For savarin
Flour 250g
Yeast 15g
Warm milk 170ml
Eggs 4no
Butter, softened 150g
Salt a pinch
Sugar 40g
For sugar syrup
Sugar 200g
Water 200ml
Vanilla extracts few drops
Apricot glaze 200g
For Chantilly cream
Whipping cream 300ml
Icing sugar 30g
For decoration
Fresh cut fruits as required
Method
To prepare savarin, sift flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre and add yeast dissolved in warm milk in centre.
Add eggs also and mix to make a soft sticky dough, keep aside covered with a damp cloth in warm place for 45 minutes.
Cream butter, sugar and salt till the sugar is dissolved.
Add the butter to the dough and mix well.
Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes to remove any excess air bubbles.
Fit the dough into a buttered savarin mould and allow to rest for 15-18 minutes covered with a damp cloth.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees C for 30 minutes, check by piercing a knife, if it comes out clean the savarin is baked.
Allow the savarin to cool at room temperature. Prepare sugar syrup by boiling together sugar in water, add vanilla to flavour it.
Soak the prepared savarin with the prepared sugar syrup so that the sugar syrup is absorbed.
Heat apricot glaze with some water and brush it on the prepared savarin to give it shine.
Prepare Chantilly cream by whipping the chilled cream with sugar until the cream is stiff.
Pipe the cream in the centre of savarin and arrange choice of sliced fresh fruits in the centre.
Refrigerate for few hours.
*Tarun Kapoor is executive chef at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel. Send your feedback to:
[email protected]
Shahi seekh kebab.
