A mere mention of seekh kebabs instantly transports me to the colorful streets of Old Delhi. We often thronged to Jama Masjid area in heart of the walled city to eat seekh kabab rolls. Kebabs right off the tandoor wrapped in paper thin rumali rotis (flatbreads) and sliced onions. A drizzle of fiery green chutney and sprinkles of tangy chaat masala made them super delicious.
What is Seekh Kabab?
Seekh = Thin rod/skewer. Kabab = Minced meat preparations cooked on high heat - be it grill, pan or hot oven. Seekh kebab are succulent kebabs made with seasoned minced meat (keema) or ground chicken. The spiced kebab mixture is threaded on skewers in the shape of a cylinder/pipe and then cooked until it’s charred and smoky. Typically seekh kebab is cooked in a tandoor, however you can get very similar results using super hot oven or grill. Pakistani seekh kababs are often made using ground beef. Indian seekh kebab typically use minced mutton, lamb or chicken.
My Seekh Kebab Recipe
On most days (weeknights),I use ground chicken for making seekh kebabs. It barely takes 30-40 minutes to make including the marination. Since we love making wraps or rolls or putting them on top of pizza, I make them quite often and chicken is a better choice. If I am making them for special occasions, I use ground lamb or goat meat keema. I used to spice the kebabs heavily, however over the years I have simplified my recipe to cut down the number and quantity of spices I use. We find the flavors much better this way. My recipe has a bit of influence from the awadhi (lucknawi) style seekh kebabs.
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Ground Chicken. Chicken Keema made with minced dark chicken meat. 1) You can purchase skinless, bone less chicken thighs and grind at home if you own a meat grinder. 2) In American stores, ground chicken is easily available and I buy it from Trader Joes or Sprouts 3) Don’t use ground chicken breast.Seekh Kebab Masala- I grind my own masala but if you do not want to or are in a rush, simply substitute with 1 tablespoon of garam masala. Onions - Yellow onions are my choice. I avoid red onions because they discolor as the kebab mix sits, but you can use, there is not much difference in taste. Ginger Garlic Paste - Grind equal quantities of ginger and garlic in a small blender. Or you can hand pound in mortar pestle. Lemon Juice- Always fresh squeezed. Don’t use pre packaged. Herbs - Chopped cilantro and mint. You can skip any herb you if you don’t like. Green Chilies- The heat in the kebabs come from green chilies. I dont use any red chilli powder. I use hot green chilies from indian stores that are similar in heat level to thai bird chilies. You can use serranos. Processed Cheese- One or two slices. You do need that extra fat (especially if using chicken) for a juicy kebab. At restaurants, they use suet, if you have that option, you can go for it else good ol cheese slice is amazing! Ghee - For cooking. It gives an amazing aroma and flavor. Substitute with any high heat cooking oil.
Homemade Seekh Kebab Masala
You can always buy seekh kabab masala from store. Many times, I go for the convenience as well. However, I swear by the taste of homemade masala for seekh kabab. Fresh ground spices and their depth of flavor is truly unmatched. It is super easy. Just toast these spices a little bit and grind in coffee grinder.
If you do not want to grind spices, use 1 tablespoon of garam masala.
You will need :-
Coriander, Cumin, Fennel Seeds, Cloves, Black Pepper Corn, Cinnamon & MaceBlack cardamom (Seeds only) Dried Kashmiri Chillies
Skip any spices you do not have. Usually mace and black cardamom are hard to find in non- indian kitchens. The Kebabs are still going to taste amazing. You can double or triple the quantity and store this masala.
Making Mutton/Lamb or Beef Seekh Kebab
You can use the same recipe for making seekh kebabs with ground turkey as well. If you choose to use beef or lamb or goat or mutton keema, add 1 teaspoon of meat tenderizer or 1 tablespoon of fine grated green papaya. Everything else remains the same.
How To Make Seekh Kebab
Just 5 simple steps:- If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water while the kebab mix marinates. If you are using metal skewers, brush them with little ghee to avoid sticking.
Different Cooking Methods
Oven + Broiler - Works amazing for chicken. My oven goes to 500F. Depending on how thick the kebabs are, anywhere between 5 to 10 minutes is great. Broil for a minute or so. Pan Fry - I find pan fry works better for red meat. Chicken kebabs dry out. Grill - This is the best of all three. Smoky juicy kebabs every single time!
I use either of the 3 methods depending on the kind of meat, occasion and time on hand. I dont suggest using air fryer for cooking seekh kabab.
My Tips
To make sure that the kebab mix is seasoned well, take a small portion after mixing everything and cook it well in 1 teaspoon oil in a pan. Taste and if you need to adjust salt or spices or herbs, do so before you set it out to marinate.
How to Make Soft Seekh Kebabs?
Use mince with a good fat content. This is a little tricky when using chicken keema so add processed cheese. Never use chicken breast for making seekh kebab. Use keema made with dark meat portions like chicken thigh.If you are choosing beef or lamb - go for 80/20 or 85/15 variety. I remember my grandfather asking the butcher to add extra fat separately whenever he bought ground meat for making seekh kababs. You can make thin or thick kebabs as you like. Always always cook on high heat. I like making them slightly thin . To give you an idea, my cooking time is just 5 to 6 minutes in a super hot oven and 45 -60 seconds under the broiler. The minced meat cooks very quickly as compared to a tikka. Brush ghee or oil liberally when cooking. The kababs are way more soft and succulent if you don’t skimp.
How to Stop Seekh Kebab from breaking? Or falling off skewers?
Use a fine mince. By this I mean that even if you purchase ground meat or chicken from the store, pulse it a few times using your food processor or blender. Or ask you butcher to do it for you. This ensures that the kebabs are not going to break when you shape or cook them. Don’t let the seekh kebab mince marinate beyond 20 minutes, else onion and herbs will start releasing moisture. Watery mix = kebab breaking when you try to skewer it after marinating. Chicken seekh kebab are slightly tricky to skewer because of high moisture content. If you feel that that the kebab is not sticking together or falling off the skewer, simply add 2 tablespoon of dry roasted besan (gram flour) or 1-2 tablespoon of bread crumbs.
