Indian Seekh Kebabs

Kebabs are a delicious meaty appetizer that has taken many forms in the Middle East. Full of heavily seasoned ground meat, a skewer is cooked either on a grill or inside a clay oven. The origin is hard to pinpoint, as many cuisines in the vicinity have multiple versions of kebab, but the meat always has plenty of spices and herbs and will be cooked to juicy perfection. Side dishes are also varied, but our version, the Indian-inspired seekh kebab, is made with lamb and can be served with mint chutney or cucumber raita.

These delicious kebabs can be made with any minced meat, and despite the common, but incorrect, belief that there is no beef consumption in India, there are many beef versions of this tasty dish. But lamb is preferred, although delicious chicken versions exist too. Terrific as an appetizer, kebabs make a nice side dish to the main meal. The other misconception is that seekh and shish kebabs are the same, but the first is made out of ground meat and the latter is made out of seasoned cubed meat.

This recipe will serve four people as a main dish and six to eight people if served as an appetizer. While seekh kebab is best made and eaten fresh, the raw mix can be prepared in advance and frozen. When you are ready to eat, just thaw to room temperature and cook as instructed. Before you start, be sure to have flat rectangular stainless steel skewers to build your kebabs. Unlike thin, round metal or bamboo skewers, flat metal skewers will grip the meat better and prevent it from rotating as you cook.