Seekh Kebab With Mint Chutney

Name: Seekh Kebab With Mint Chutney
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 kebabs
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 2 1/4 pounds ground lamb; 1 packed cup shredded Amul cheese or white Cheddar (about 3 ounces); 1/3 packed cup very finely chopped fresh cilantro; 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons deggi chile powder, plus additional for garnish; 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon minced green Thai chile or serrano chile (with seeds); 2 teaspoons garam masala; 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds (shah zeera) or regular cumin seeds; 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom; Kosher salt; Neutral oil, for greasing; 3 packed cups roughly chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems; 2 packed cups roughly chopped fresh mint leaves; 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion; 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger; 1 teaspoon minced green Thai or serrano chile (seeds included); 2 tablespoons anardana (dried pomegranate seeds), crushed, or very finely chopped fresh mango; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more as needed; Red onion, very thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

Recipe from Chintan Pandya

Adapted by Alexa Weibel

Seekh Kebab With Mint Chutney — Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling
Rating: 4(267)
Comments: Read comments

Served at most traditional Indian restaurants, seekh kebabs are made with ground lamb that’s been seasoned with garam masala, cumin seeds, fresh ginger and fresh cilantro, then grilled and served with raw red onion and bright mint chutney to offset the richness and heat. This recipe comes from Chintan Pandya, the executive chef at Adda Indian Canteen, a New York restaurant that specializes in homestyle Indian food. You’ll need to purchase deggi mirch, an Indian chile powder that tastes somewhat like a smoky paprika, but is mild enough to be used in a quantity large enough to color the meat red. The spiced meat mixture benefits from chilling to help retain its shape on the grill, but you could also roll it into meatballs and pan-sear them on the stovetop or roast them in the oven, if the season dictates. —Alexa Weibel

Featured in: Finding the Deliciousness in New York City

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Ingredients

Yield:6 kebabs

For the Seekh Kebab

2¼pounds ground lamb
1packed cup shredded Amul cheese or white Cheddar (about 3 ounces)
⅓packed cup very finely chopped fresh cilantro
2tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons deggi chile powder, plus additional for garnish
1tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3garlic cloves, minced
1tablespoon minced green Thai chile or serrano chile (with seeds)
2teaspoons garam masala
1teaspoon black cumin seeds (shah zeera) or regular cumin seeds
¾teaspoon ground cardamom
Kosher salt
Neutral oil, for greasing

For the Mint Chutney

3packed cups roughly chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
2packed cups roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
¼cup finely chopped red onion
1tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1teaspoon minced green Thai or serrano chile (seeds included)
2tablespoons anardana (dried pomegranate seeds), crushed, or very finely chopped fresh mango
2teaspoons lemon juice
1teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more as needed
Red onion, very thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Prepare the lamb skewers: In a large bowl, combine the lamb with the cheese, cilantro, chile powder, ginger, garlic, green chile, garam masala, cumin seeds, cardamom and 2 teaspoons salt. Shape the meat like a sausage into six 5-inch logs that are just under 2 inches thick. Skewer each and pack them tightly. Refrigerate for 2 hours and up to overnight to firm up.
Step 2
Prepare the mint chutney: Add the cilantro, mint, red onion, ginger, green chile and ¼ cup water to a blender. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. (Add more water by the spoonful, if needed, until mixture is saucy.) Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the anardana, lemon juice and sugar; season to taste with salt and more sugar, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use. (The mint chutney is best the day it’s prepared, but it can be refrigerated one day in advance.)
Step 3
Brush the grill with neutral oil and heat over medium. Grill the kebabs, rotating as needed, until browned all over and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with mint chutney, and very thinly sliced red onion, if desired. Sprinkle kebabs and onions (if using) with deggi chile powder and serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5

267 user ratings

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Comments

Tom O’Connor3 years ago

Excellent recipe but please don’t bother finding and including the pomegranate seeds in the chutney. Even after crushing them and putting in the Vitamix blender, they are inedible tiny rocks that have to be removed and really ruined an otherwise delicious recipe.

Joy Pinto-Kamath5 years ago

Works equally well with ground pork, ground chicken, or lean (not extra-lean) ground beef. Just don't mix them.

Margie SS4 years ago

Pretty much made as written w/the exception of (changed out of necessity): * Cheese: Didn't have Amul or white cheddar so followed another reader's comment and used feta *Deggi Chile Powder: Didn't have so used a combination of hot and smoked paprika * Chutney: Was too thick as written so added a good bit of water to make it "saucy." But overall...very good and excellent flavor! Will definitely make again.

CAPhyl10 months ago

For two, I halved everything, using 1 lb of ground beef. Was so spicy that I would take the spices down a touch more. I only put a tiny bit of water in the mint chutney and I wish I didn't. Used olive oil instead and diced mango. Actually tasted really good. Will make this again with reduced spices.

Dianne10 months ago

While I didn't have everything in the ingredient list, I subbed what I had- ground chicken, feta, no chili powder, and Kitchen King Masala (Everest Brand from my Indian grocer) for garam masala, and kept everything else the same. I made them early in the day, to let the flavors meld, and cooked them in butter, for dinner. Served with Melissa Clarks Peruvian green sauce, as well as raita. Fantastic recipe! Delicious flavor, even with the changes.

nemo10 months ago

kindly to shamelessly but lightly baste kebabs with ghee/melted butter just before serving and you might well omit/reduce the cilantro but never the mint which could be VERY LIGHTLY roasted with chana dal and shredded or dried moistened coconut and salt2taste prior to grinding to a pudina chutney paste! umami^2 for eric and melissa also.

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