Pakistani Seekh Kebab

The perfect entree or appetiser to any Indian or Pakistani banquet. Make sure to lightly toast your whole seed ingredients in a frying pan on high temp for a few minutes--just to really bring out their flavour. And don't forget to factor in the resting time in the middle.

If you want to take the flavour up a notch, use the coriander stems and roots instead of the leaves. Using the roots in your cooking is an Indian restaurant secret. If you do try it, only use about a tablespoon of each roots/stems.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp Coriander Seeds, toasted, ground
• 2 tsp Cumin Seeds, toasted, ground
• 1 Yellow Onion, small, chopped
• 4 Green Chillies, small (ie: Thai), sliced
• 1/4 cup Coriander Leaves
• 2 tbsp Mint Leaves
• 500g Beef Mince, fatty--not lean
• 1 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp Ginger, crushed
• 1 tsp Black Pepper, fresh ground
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Papaya Paste, optional – for extra tender kebabs
• Coconut Oil, as needed, for searing

Method

1. Strain and pat out any excess moisture from the beef mince and place into a large bowl or bowl of a mixer. The kebab mixture should be as dry as possible to prevent any breaking.
2. Add the onion, coriander, mint, and green chillies to a food processor. Using the pulse function, finely chop (but not blend) them to a coarse mixture. You may need to pause and scrape down the sides in between. Remove the onion mixture, squeeze out the excess moisture between your hands, and add to the beef.
3. Add the salt, garlic, ginger, black pepper, red chilli flakes, garam masala, toasted & ground cumin & coriander, and papaya paste (if using). Mix well.
4. Using gloved hands (do not use bare hands or the green chilli may sting), knead for 3-4 minutes, until you begin to see a lacy, stringy texture (resha) of the meat. The mixture should be homogeneous instead of crumbly.
5. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight.
6. Using oiled hands, take around 1/4 cup of the meat and form into a hearty round shape. Run a skewer through the meat (I prefer to use a chopstick because it creates a larger hole--but it's up to you) and use your hands to form a sausage-like shape around the skewer. It should typically be about 12-15cm long. You should be able to make at least 8.
7. Heat a large, nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium or medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, place the kebabs on the pan, making sure not to crowd them. Use tongs to turn the kebabs frequently, making sure all sides are browned evenly. Cook for 6-7 minutes in total. Transfer the kebabs to a large plate lined with a paper towel.
8. Serve with Naan (Recipe HERE) and Mint Raita (Recipe HERE).