Mela Indian's lamb seekh kebabs

Name: Mela Indian's lamb seekh kebabs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1.2 kg minced lean lamb; 2 onions, very finely chopped; 1 tbsp finely grated ginger; 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic; ½ cup finely chopped mint; ½ cup finely chopped coriander; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp mild paprika; 1 tsp chilli powder, or to taste; 60 ml vegetable oil (¼ cup); Naan bread, melted butter and nigella seeds, to serve; Chaat masala (see note), mint leaves and lemon wedges, to serve; ½ cup dried Kashmiri chillies, halved lengthways, seeds removed, soaked in ¾ cup cold water until softened (1-2 hours; see note) (15gm); 1 small garlic clove; 3 tsp vegetable oil; 1 cup plain yoghurt (280gm); 1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle; 1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber

Perth restaurant Mela Indian share their recipe for tender lamb seekh kebabs with a Kashmiri chilli paste and cooling raita drizzled on top. Add naan to make it more of a meal.

Feb 12, 2017 1:00pm

By Mela Indian

30 mins preparation
5 mins cooking plus soaking, marinating

"I'd love the recipe for Mela Indian's lamb seekh kebabs." - Glen Zhang, Como, WA

REQUEST A RECIPE
To request a recipe, email fareexchange@bauer-media.com.auor send us a message via Facebook. Please include the restaurant's name and address, as well as your name and address. Please note that because of the volume of requests we receive, we can only publish a selection in the magazine.

Ingredients

1.2 kg minced lean lamb
2 onions, very finely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
½ cup finely chopped mint
½ cup finely chopped coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp mild paprika
1 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
60 ml vegetable oil (¼ cup)
Naan bread, melted butter and nigella seeds, to serve
Chaat masala (see note), mint leaves and lemon wedges, to serve

Chilli paste

½ cup dried Kashmiri chillies, halved lengthways, seeds removed, soaked in ¾ cup cold water until softened (1-2 hours; see note) (15gm)
1 small garlic clove
3 tsp vegetable oil

Raita

1 cup plain yoghurt (280gm)
1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber

Method

Main

1
For chilli paste, drain chillies, transfer to a small blender, add garlic and oil and process, scraping down sides occasionally, until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Makes 60ml (¼ cup) and will keep refrigerated for 2 days, or can be frozen for 6 months.
2
Combine 1 tbsp chilli paste, lamb, onion, ginger, garlic, herbs, spices and 2 tsp fine salt in a large bowl. Knead well by hand until combined and mixture has firmed up. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to marinate (2-3 hours). If using wooden skewers, soak 12 skewers in water.
3
For raita, mix yoghurt, cumin and a pinch of salt in a bowl and refrigerate until required. Fold in cucumber just before serving.
4
Heat barbecue or grill to medium-high. Mould ½ cup lamb mixture around each skewer to form a sausage shape. Transfer to a tray and brush generously with oil. Grill kebabs, turning regularly, until just cooked through (6-8 minutes).
5
Brush naan bread with melted butter and scatter with nigella seeds. Scatter kebabs with chaat masala and mint, and serve with lemon wedges, raita and naan bread.

Notes

Chaat masala, a spice blend, and Kashmiri chillies are available from Indian food stores and Herbie's Spices (herbies.com.au). Mela's chefs use a mix of dried chillies, including Kashmiri, for the chilli paste.