Kebab
History says, it’s a Persian repertoire. Persian
and Turkish were those people who widely consumed food cooked on split fire.
Kebab or Kabab is a Persian word Kab means roast.
Kebab should be succulence, fresh, tender, moist and
most importantly the right degree of cooking. In my opinion each ingredient
plays important role whether it is meat, vegetable, spices and cooking mediums.
In simple understanding kebab is kam + aab =
kebab (kam means less and aab is water).
So, you can say anything with less water is
known as kebab. Although it does not define the accurate meaning, but it
highlights the one of the major factors that kebab should have and that is less
water.
There are various cooking techniques applied
while preparing kebab- Pat dry, devein, marination, marinade, binding agent,
tenderizer (galawat), pounded spices (uses of mortar and pestle), proper
skewers, basting, dhungar, heat, etc. are few examples.
Maintaining a proper temperature of charcoal is
the biggest challenge. Kebab should not be over- cooked, as they tend to become
dry and not remain succulent. To avoid the kebab to become hard and overcooked,
let the charcoal burn properly and evenly and with the help of hand fan remove
all the ashes nicely before you start cooking.
Kebabs are healthy!!! Kebabs are cook in minimum oil and the basting use in it melt away into the tandoor/charcoal grill and hardly anything stay with the kebab. Although that kebab comes from mahi tawa also fried in less ghee.
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| Kebab -Pakshala |
Types of kebab
Generally, there are two types of kebab are
found all over the world.
Sigri kebab those kebabs that are split roast
over charcoal and wood is called Sigri kebab
Second verities are those kebabs that are split
roast in a specific vessel and sometimes take the name as because of that
utensils used.
Like tawa (Iron), mahi tawa (brass) Pateli, lagan, Handi, Pather etc.
Tawa kebab these types or kebab are shallow
fried in ghee and again two subcategories. Pakke kebab & kacche kebab
Pre-cooked meat roast again with the help of ghee is called Pakke
Kebab.Marinated raw meat which is fried in ghee and cooked well is known as raw
kebab. Shammi kebab will fall under the category of mahi tawa and pakke
kebabs!!
Mahi tawa is the Awadh version of a griddle
shaped like a big round, flat bottomed tray with raised edges. It is used for
cooking kebabs and, with a cover, other dishes.
Note :- "Tandoor is meant for breads, although some meats cooked with bone are named after it. Hence, dishes like Tandoori Chicken and Tandoori Raan have become popular and adopted the name as well."
हमेशा याद रखें कि कबाब को हर पहलू से समझना बेहद महत्वपूर्ण है। पेशेवर रूप से तकनीकें बदलती रहती हैं, और उनके साथ ही विधि के अनुसार परिणाम भी बदलते हैं। अंततः, असली पहचान स्वाद ही है!
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| Shami kebab - Pakshala |
SHAMI
The Muslim food of Lucknow is commonly known as
Awadhi cuisine. The denizens of Lucknow take as much, pride in their cuisine
than any other cultural inheritance. Here two great cuisines - one innovative
and other traditional – have become classic art form.
During Ramzan & Id ul Zuha the houses are
busy cooking throughout the day for iftari (feast to end the day's fasting) for
family friends, and the poor. And on such occasions family gatherings and
celebrations shami is a must- must dish not to miss a part.
Shami means shaam (an evening) A shallow/deep
fried mutton patties prepared with mincemeat cooked with chana dal and spices
mashed and formed into crispy and crunchy delicacy. The name for collection of
dishes that composed the feast spread at distinguished household is known as
TORA in Awadhi Taluka. Shami come in that category.
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| Shami Ingredients - Pakshala |
A meat delicacy rated as kings of all kebabs it is also called national kebab all over the Awadhi taluka and is widely available for Dastarkhawan e aam. Its fragrance will take your heart as you walk through the streets of Lucknow. Shallow fried in ghee on mahi tawa the texture of shami is moist, soft and melt in mouth. Shami is also known as summer kebabs as kairi (mango) is used in stuffing along with onion chilies and mint. “Kamrakh and karonda or lemon can be replaced for the filling when kairi is not in the seasons.” I have also tried fillings with a dash of amchoor and the taste comes out nicely.
The selection of meat is a very important factor while making kebab. To make the shammi mixture, rookha keema (fat free mince) from raan (leg)along with Bengal gram, herbs and spices are slow cook all together with the help of appropriate water in a cooking vessel. As the water dries upcompletely, ghee will be added and after a good bhuno the prepared mixtures is removed from fire and spread on a try and keep aside to cool later, grind in stone grinder (Sil batta)
sil batta -Pakshala
Essential Tools for Shami Kebab: Sil Batta (stone grinder for texture), Mortar & Pestle (for aromatic spices), Bhuchara (for basting with ghee), and Khurpa (spatula for perfect sear). Mahi Tawa ( to cook ) These traditional tools ensure authentic flavor and perfection!
Uses of itter, which add fragrance, enhance the
experience of a dish & make the shammi kebab extraordinary.
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| Lazzat e taam - Pakshala |
‘LAZZAT E TAAM’ an Awadhi version of garam masala which act as a taste enhancer. It is a combination of a staggering 25 ingredients including sandalwood paste, poppy seed, vetiver, baobeer and jarakush.
Feeling blessed myself....my career starts from
the holy city of Jodhpur. In my earlier phase of culinary life, I have closely
observed the various technique of Bar-be-que at the restaurant name Kebab
Corner at Welcome Heritage Umaid Bhawan Palace and the Royal kitchen Welcome
Heritage Balsamand lake palace Jodhpur.
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| Chef Ashwani- Pakshala |
It’s my strong believe that Rajasthani
preparations like “Sulla and Buthan” are not influence by the Turkish, it’s a
true royal cuisine those have been existence as old as Maharaja dynasty.
Shami was a part of gala dinner and mostly
taken care by daily wages ladies, they come to make shammi patties the prepared
mixture is given to them and they form the patties, later it is dipped in egg
wash and fried crispy.
Shikampur a speciality of kebab corner, a round
mutton patties of 2 ½ in diameters was always served on royal table in their
family functions.
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| Umaid Bhawan Palace - Pakshala |
SHIKAMPUR
Shikampur “Shikam a Farsi word means belly and pur
to nourish”.
An offering from the royal banquet (Aamra) of
Royal Nizam of Hyderabad Shikampuri is another version of shammi which means
"belly-full".
On a thick bottomed iron griddle, the kebab is shallow fired in desi ghee. Always be careful and keep this in mind is to flip it when it is golden brown on one side. Hang curd, chopped onions, chopped green chillies, mint added moisture to the kebabs and while cooking it is necessary that it does not fall and break.
Dastarkhwan the traditional Muslim way of serving food on a highly worked red and white cloth spread on the floor.
INGREDIENTS
Mutton boti 600 gm
Chironji 20 gm
Almond 30 gm
Desiccated coconut 10 gm
Clove 10 nos
Cinnamon sticks 2 nos
Bay leaf 2 nos
Black pepper 1 tsp
Whole red chili 5 nos
Green cardamom 8 nos
Jeera whole 1 tbsp
Whole coriander 1 tbsp
Green chilies 3 nos
Mint ½ bunch
Coriander root 1 bunch
Onion 1 medium
Ginger 1 pc Garlic 1 pod
Salt to taste Water as required
STUFFING
Onion 100 gm
Ginger 10 gm
Hung curd 50 gm
Mint leaves 20 gm
Salt to taste
PREPARATIONS
Dry roast the chironji seed, almond, and
coconut; make a fine paste with the help of little water and keep aside. Clean
the mutton and keep aside. Peel, wash and roughly chop onions, ginger and
garlic. Wash, remove the stem of green chillies and keep aside. Add chopped
onion, ginger, green chillies, mint and mix it with hung curd and little salt.
Keep it aside for the stuffing.
COOKING
* In a cooking vessel add the boneless mutton
pieces, chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Now add clove, green cardamom, bay
leaf, cinnamon and salt to the mutton. Add water and let it cook till the water
evaporates and mutton looks tender.
* In a flat tray, remove the prepared mutton
pieces and let it cool. Remove clove, green cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon out
from the mutton. When the mutton cools down, mince it and keep aside.
* In a mixing bowl, put in the prepared mutton
mince and add the prepared paste. Adjust the seasoning and keep aside in a
refrigerator for one hour.
* Take out the prepared mixture from the
refrigerator and divide it into equal portions. Now, take each ball and stuff
it with the curd and mint mixture and gently shape into patties.
* Then grease a pan or griddle with ghee and
place the kebabs in it. Then put on very slow flame. Melt the rest of the ghee
and pour on the kababs evenly.
* Fry the Shikampuri kebab on both of the side nicely. Serve hot in a serving plate with mint chutney.
शामी कबाब कई स्वादिष्ट रूपों में मिलते हैं—चाहे वह मटन हो, चिकन हो या मछली, हर एक अपनी अनोखी खुशबू, गहरे स्वाद और लाजवाब जायके से आपके स्वाद कों चौंका देता है। शाकाहारी संस्करण भी उतने ही सराहनीय हैं, जिनमें चने (बूट/चना), कटहल (कठल), जमीकंद और दाल जैसी सामग्री शामिल होती है। हर एक की अपनी अलग पहचान और खास तैयारी होती है, जो शामी कबाब को एक बेहतरीन पाक कला का नायाब नमूना बनाती है।
Difference between Awadhi, Hyderabadi and Delhi shami
* Awadhi shami like other kebab supposed to be
melt in your mouth. Whereas, Hyderabadi shammi you can feel and chew the meat.
Both are shallow fried too. Delhi shami is a deep fried one and crunchier due
to cooked with more Bengal gram.
* Awadhi shami scented with sweet itter where
Hyderabad and Delhi don’t added itter in their shammi and spicier then Awadhi.
* Delhi shami ki deep fried and made with more Bengal gram as well as eggs in it whereas Awadhi shammi and Shikampur made without eggs.
Those who don’t like to add eggs in shami kebab
they have their own ways to adding others ingredients for binding and make the
patties crispy along with more added chana dal. Sattu/aloo/Maida/Corn
flour/Sooji are the various bindings agents used for making a shami kebab.
This is to the uniqueness of shami that the left over shami can be used in thin korma or salan made from barista, curd, poppy seed and cashew nuts and pounded spices, saffron and itter eaten in many houses.
There are some foods which are common to the many states and few are cooked only by special communities. They need not need any further introduction that what they are? Likewise, Shami, Galawat, Haleem, Nehari, Rogan josh, Kundan kaliya, Dalcha, yes, these all are a mutton dish!!! All because of have a Muslim origin and Muslim are meat eaters !!
It is based on my preliminary findings of continuous learning and discovering through the previous culinary journey to the various cities.
EID MUBARAK !!
