Chicken Seekh Kebab

Kebab (or kaabaaab, kabob, kebap) is a wide variety of meat dishes. Kebab includes grilled, roasted, and stewed dishes of large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb, but depending on local tastes, it may be beef, goat, chicken, pork; fish and seafood; or even vegetarian foods like falafel or tofu. (wiki)
These kebabs can be served as an appetizer along with a dip / Chutney or as a side dish with Indian breads. It can be served as a wrap too…. You can either grill or bake these kebabs; I grilled using a toaster grill ……

                           

Chicken Seekh Kebab

(Recipe adapted from: Nita Mehta’s Tandoori cooking in the oven)
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
Chicken minced (keema) -500gm
Onion – 2, sliced
Garlic flakes - 8-10
Ginger – 1” piece
**Khus Khus (poppy seeds) – 1 tbsp, soaked for 15 minutes in water
Cashew nuts (broken pieces) - 1 ½ tbsp
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Salt – 1 tsp or to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp
For Garnishing:
Lemon, Chat Masala, Onion Rings
Basting (Pouring on the Seekhs)
Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Place the mince in a strainer. Wash in the strainer. Press out the excess water.
• Heat oil in a kadhai / pan and deep fry the onions till golden brown. Drain with a slotted spoon and cool.
• Grind the browned onions, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts and drained khus khus / poppy seeds to a smooth thick paste.
• Put the mince, onion paste, garam masala, chilli powder and salt in a mixer blender. Grind well to get a sticky consistency. Remove the mixture to a bowl.
• Add chopped coriander. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours for the flavors to penetrate the mince.
• Take handfuls of the mince mixture and press on to the skewers.
• You can either bake or grill these kebabs.
• For baking: Place kebabs on an oven rack with a tray underneath to collect the drippings and bake at 180C for 10-15 minutes or till done rotating the skewers.
• Grilling: You can either use your oven grill or electric grill. (I used my toaster grill).
• When the seekhs get cooked sprinkle lemon juice and chat masala on the kebabs and serve with onion rings and your favorite chutney or ketchup.

**We don’t get Khus Khus (poppy seeds) here, so I have substituted poppy seeds with more cashew nuts