Author Notes
Kebabs are served at three award winning Indian restaurants in London – The Cinnaman Club, Cinnamon Kitchen & Anise and Cinnamon Soho
This tender lamb kebab is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth texture, the result of including a small amount of raw papaya or pineapple to tenderise the meat. Once this was essential to mask the poor quality for the meat used, but, today, with good-quality meat, this recipe lets you appreciate the fine fixture. When you mince the meat three times you have a really tender version, but if you mince it ten more times, you have a paste so fine you can simply serve it on brioche!
—Vanessa Clemens
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Ingredients
- Main set of Ingredients
-
2 tablespoons
Ghee or Vegetable Oil
-
500 grams
lean boneless leg of lamb, minced at least 3 times
-
4 tablespoons
dried-fried onions
-
2 tablespoons
fried cashew paste
-
1 1/2 tablespoons
red chilli powder
-
1 pinch
saffron, soaked in 2 tablespoons water
-
1 1/2 teaspoons
salt
-
1 tablespoon
of pureed or pounded pineapple (or 1 tablespoon pineapple juice)
-
4 drops
of rose water or kewra water
-
1
large banana leaf, cut into 15-20cm long strips
- For the spice mix
-
8
cloves
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4
green cardamom pods
-
seeds of 1 black cardamom pod
-
1
blade of mace
-
1/8
nutmeg, pounded
-
1/2 teaspoon
cumin seeds, roasted
-
1/2 teaspoon
black peppercorns
Directions
-
To make the spice mix, set aside 6 cloves and transfer the remainder to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Add the remaining ingredients and grind into a fine powder, then set aside.
-
Heat half the ghee or vegetable oil in a small pan, and when it reaches smoking point add the 6 reserved cloves.
-
Once they have started to smoke, after about 30 seconds, remove the pan from the heat and set aside for the ghee to cool.
-
Put the minced meat in a mixing bowl and add the spice mix and all the remaining ingredients, except the rosewater and banana leaf, and mix together well. Add the clove-infused oil, but not the cloves, and mix together again. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes.
-
Take the chilled mince out of the fridge, add the remaining tablespoon of ghee and the rosewater and mix together thoroughly. Return the mixture to the fridge for 15 minutes
-
Heat the banana leaf strips in a hot heavy-based frying pan, or in the microwave for 30 seconds, until they are soft and pliable.
-
Shape the minced meat into 12 equal patties, each about 4 cm in diameter. Wrap each patty in a piece of banana leaf and brush with oil. Grill over a hot barbecue for 2-3 minutes on each side, starting with the joint side down.
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Alternatively, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or vegetable oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Add the patties and cook over a low heat for 1-2 minutes on each side, until they are well cooked. Remove them from the pan and drain well on kitchen paper.
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Voila ! You are ready to serve your family Galouti Kebabs this Christmas !
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