Seekh Kebab (Ground Beef Skewers)

Ingredients (For 3 – 4 seekh kebabs)

Recipe adapted from here and here

1. Ground beef / minced meat- 400 – 500 gm

2. Onion – 1/4 cup or 1/4th of a small onion , minced

Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp (You can use 1/8 tsp garlic powder and a pinch of ginger powder instead)

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

Green chilies – 1 – 2, minced

Coriander leaves / cilantro – 3 tbsp, minced

Mint leaves – 1 tbsp, minced

Chilly powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder  – 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt – As required

Melted butter – 1 – 1.5 tbsp + more for brushing on kebabs

Method

1. Combine  ground meat with all ingredients numbered 2. Knead it well  (like how you would for chapathi dough) for about 4 minutes to form a smooth dough OR Add it to a food processor and pulse a few times until well-combined (not too coarse or too fine). Transfer to a bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

2. Heat oven at 500 F (you can grill the kebabs instead). Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and grease well.

3. Knead the meat mixture briefly before baking/grilling.  Take a large portion of the meat mix in your palm and form into a round ball. Spread it around the skewer to form a cylindrical shape OR roll into cylinders and thread onto metal or bamboo skewers. Wet your hands if needed. Press your fingers on the kebab to make grooves. Brush melted butter on the kebabs.  (If the meat mixture doesn’t stick well to the skewer, massage it well and try again or add a few teaspoons of besan / gram flour or an egg, whisked as a binding agent ( traditionally eggs are not used)).

4. Bake kebabs for 10 minutes. Flip them over. Brush melted butter and bake for 4 minutes. Turn the oven to broil mode. Broil for 3 – 4 minutes until kebabs are browned. Brush with melted butter once done. Serve immediately with  raita, naan/ pulao etc.

Tip

You can make these without skewers also. Shape them into 3 – 4 inch cylindrical logs. Lightly press them with fingers to form grooves. Place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil that’s lightly coated with oil and bake until done.