Topic: How to make Kebab-house seekh kebabs

[Peripatetic Phil]

Only tried the Laziza so far, Livo (and that on your recommendation), but there's still a lot of raw kebab mix to cook before I can start on the next batch !  And the kebabs weren't overcooked (I eat everything rare, including chicken and pork) but very charred on the outside, which is why I plan to cook them at a lower heat next time and also try to make them thinner.

** Phil.

[livo]

Accept my apologies Phil. I wasn't saying you'd overcooked your kebabs.  I was meaning to say MY own urge is to overcook anything on a skewer, even though I know it needs tender care to get it right. Often I don't.

My Greek mate's father and sister cooked lamb Souvlaki sticks for many people one time and I was lucky enough to be in attendance.  Using just a humble little double Hibachi and charcoal the results were superb.  Served with just a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt.  Juicy, moist and plump, flavoursome and completely moreish.  It is very difficult to get the timing just right.

I can't tell you how many times I've eaten overcooked tikka, souvla and kebabs and usually by mine own hand.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Absolutely no apology needed, Livo

[livo]

I guess the thing is to get the meat mix right, but I overcome the problem by placing pieces of potato on the skewer last. It serves several functions in holding the kebabs up, acting as a heat shield to the bottom kebab and if you like, you can eat it. I've also used smaller slices between the kebabs or onion, capsicum or zucchini (sideways).

[Peripatetic Phil]

OK, making the Shan version today.  Only 250gm of minced lamb remaining, so I have scaled the other ingredients by 1/4, and rather than use 1/4 of a small onion I substituted two (round) shallots instead. These (it seems to me) have the advantage of being drier than normal onions, so I did not bother to try to squeeze the moisture out.  I found that the blender base unit for my Kenwood stick beater was perfect for mincing up the shallots, ginger, coriander, etc., and when I put the mixture (inc. lamb mince) in the 2kW jug blender I used it on pulse mode rather than low-speed continuous.  This prevented any worrying "I am overheating ..." smells, and the resulting lamb puree looks just as smooth as it did on the previous occasion.  Not sure when I will cook it, but it will be within the next few days ...

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

[reply moved from Indian Hotel Style Gravies]

Made the Shan seekh kebabs a couple of days ago (to spec., sans any additional fat/oil) and cooked one skewer at lunchtime for my wife and I.  She loved it, our head chef (French) said it was too spicy for him !  Will check out the Hotel kebab masala next ...

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I made another batch of kebab mix over the weekend, using 1.2kg of minced lamb divided into 2 x 600gm portions so as not to risk burning out the blender.  Both portions were made identically using the Shan recipe (inc. extra suet) and the only difference between the two was that one used 25gm of Laziza kebab masala and the other used the same of the Shan version.  This evening I prepared four kebabs, two on each of two skewers, one skewer being for the Laziza kebabs and one for the Shan.  My wife and I then had one kebab of each, and we agreed that (a) the Laziza was better, but not staggeringly so; (b) the Shan was a stronger and more salty flavour; and (c) that upscaling the recipe to 1.2kg (from 1kg recommended) while keeping the spice content invariant worked very well.  The Laziza was, as far as I was concerned, indistinguishable from a good BIR or BIR T/A one.  We scored the Laziza as 9/10 and the Shan as 7/10.

** Phil.

[livo]

I also prefer the Laziza, but you may have already guessed that.  I do have some Shan boxes of different Masalas in the cupboard but I usually only use them if I run out of Laziza.  I used Shan for my last batch and still enjoyed them.  The Shan is available locally where I have to travel or mail order to get Laziza.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Cooked some more seekh kebabs this evening, this time using the pre-pur

[Kashmiri Bob]

Hi all.  Hope everyone is OK.  I think my curry mojo is returning.  Cooked a couple of standard madras poppadoms last week.  Disaster!  Came out looking like Yorkshire puddings.  But never mind the poppadoms, I have been on a keto diet for two years and shouldn't be eating them anyway.  Kebab house seekh kebabs though; got to be done! 

I did find out that my local Pakistani (benchmark) kebab house seekhs are chicken thigh mince, so no mutton etc.  Also, getting the water out of the onions is really critical.  Before I lost interest I was working along the lines of this recipe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxT7BV7IFi0

Off topic but I'll mention to remind myself. Somewhere I have written down on paper a recipe for a 100 % Manchester Abdul's shami kebab.  Nailed it in the end.  Must find the recipe. Key addition to the mix was ready made Zaatar (Thyme pastry topping).  I used Sofra Zaatar Extra, which includes roasted wheat, roasted chickpeas, sumac, thyme and sesame seeds.

Rob