Seekh Kabab (Minced Meat Kabobs)

If you've ever been to an Indian restaurant, you've probably started drooling as a waiter has walked by your table with a cast iron pan of sizzling meat (similar to a plate of fajita meat). That dish is usually a plate of tandoori meats - chicken, shrimp, lamb and many times seekh kababs on a bed of onions.

Seekh Kabab is ground meat (usually lamb, but can be beef) blended with spices, onions, cilantro and peppers shaped around sticks into long, narrow cylinders. They also have a hint of tandoori seasoning.

Usually they are served along with raita, cilantro-mint chutney and tamarind sauce.

So I decided to try making them a few weeks ago, when I invited friends over for an Indian dinner - and I think they were pretty popular.

I used two pounds of ground beef which made about 12 kebabs.

Here's how I made them. Note: Soak wooden skewers for an entire day in water.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of ground beef
4 tbsp. of plain yogurt
1 inch of ginger, grated (use a Microplane for best results)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
3 to 4 green chilies, chopped with seeds
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. of tandoori powder
2 tbsp of garam masala
1 tsp of sea salt or 1.5 of regular salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients to the meat.
2. With your hands, blend all the ingredients together, evenly. The meat should change consistency a bit to be smoother and the color will be redder, because of the tandoori.
3. Allow the meat to marinate for 1 hour in the fridge.
4. Preheat grill or oven to 400 degrees. If cooking in an oven use a sheet pan with a tray to drain the liquid from the meat. 
5. Take about 1/4 cup of meat and shape it around the skewer. Add a bit of oil to the meat as you place it around the skewer so it doesn't stick. Repeat 11 more times. 
6. Place the skewers on the grill or oven, and turn every 5 minutes so the meat cooks evenly. Should be cooked in 20 to 25 minutes and will be a golden brown color on the outside. You may need to drain the pan, if cooking in the oven.