Hyderabadi dum ke kebab

Hyderabad boasts a number of delicious kebabs, but this one is a decadent speciality. These soft and succulent kebabs are loaded with spices and herbs, and deep fried to perfection. This dish will change everything you know about kebabs. The chef who has been cooking in my mother’s house for the last 20 years, Abida, asked if she could cook this dish, something she has never cooked for them before. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to learn, and share, this little known recipe with you. These kebabs are traditionally made for celebrations, weddings, or religious festivals. They follow the traditional Mughal recipe card, lots of spices, nuts and herbs. However, all the spices are cooked first, and them mixed in with the raw meat and the cooked again. This allows the spices to express themselves in the kebab fully, making them pop with flavor. In addition, it allows the chef to focus on the meat and its textures, crisp on the outside and butter soft and smooth on the inside. For more of my own delicious recipes click here.

Ingredients:

4 onions, sliced thinly,

4 green cardamom pods

2-3 whole cloves

1 1-inch piece cinnamon stick

10 black peppercorns

10 cubeb peppers, also called tailed peppers or kebab chini

1/4 cup almomds

1/4 cup cashew nuts

1/4 cup poppy seeds

1/4 cup split chana dal

3-4 tablespoons yogurt, or as needed

10-12 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

3-4 green chilies, or to taste

1/2 cup cilantro with tender stems

1/4 cup mint leaves

2-3 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

Salt to taste

Oil to fry

1/2 kg (1 lb) ground lamb or goat

Lime wedges, for garnish

Fresh cilantro and mint, minced for garnish

Onion slices, for garnish

White radish, cut into thin batons, for garnish

In a dry frying pan, toast the poppy seeds, nuts and chana dal individually till lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.

In a coffee grinder or spice mill, grind the chana dal, poppy seeds, almonds, and cashews separately until completely smooth. The nuts and poppy seeds tend to form a butter, so you may have to scrape them down a few times to get them to be soft. Mix together after grinding. Set aside.

Add the fried onion mix with whole spices to the blender. Blend with no water if possible till smooth. You may need to let this go for a little while so that all the spices are completely pulverised. Remove 1/2 of the paste. Add 1/2 the meat and 1/2 the yoghurt, garlic, and green herbs and purée till you have a smooth, thick paste. You want this to be very thick so that you can mound it into shapes. Remove and add the rest of the meat, ground paste and yoghurt and repeat till smooth again. Mix together the paste well. Add the ground nuts, poppy seeds and salt and mix well. At this stage, you have a thick and very smooth paste. The secret to these kebabs lies in the meat's smoothness. 

Make a small patty as a taster and fry on a small pan. Taste and adjust the salt, chilli, and any other components. Mound into small balls or small flat patties, depending on how you are going to cook them. Marinate the kebabs for at least 2 hours; however, overnight is always better.

There are several ways to make these kebabs. The options below are based on tradition, health, and convenience.

The most traditional method is to deep fry them. Make small round balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Deep-fry in hot oil; you want the kebabs to be browned and crisp on the outside, soft and tender, and cooked through on the inside. Serve immediately, sprinkled with fresh cilantro and mint, with lime wedges on the side, sliced radishes, sliced onions, and naan bread or other bread of choice.

The second method, also traditional, is to grill them on metal skewers if possible. Make a long kebab, about 10 inches in length, depending on the length of your skewers. Insert a skewer through the middle, and pat the kebab down to make it even on all sides. Grill over moderately hot coals or flames so that the outside is burned in spots and the centre is cooked through. Serve immediately, sprinkled with fresh cilantro and mint, with lime wedges on the side, sliced radishes, sliced onions, and naan bread or other bread of choice.

The third, and healthy method, is in the oven. Make small flat patties and layer them on a baking sheet. Broil in the oven about 8 inches from the top for 4-5 minutes per side till browned on both sides. Serve immediately, sprinkled with fresh cilantro and mint, with lime wedges on the side, sliced radishes, sliced onions, and naan bread or other bread of choice.