Spiced Lamb Seekh Kebabs with Mint-Coriander Chutney
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
Spiced lamb mince is hand-moulded around skewers and grilled until smoky and charred, served with a sharp, fresh mint-coriander chutney.
None of the 14 major EU allergens. Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Toast the cumin. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant, then tip them into a food processor. Toasting wakes up the seeds' oils and gives the kebabs a warmer, more rounded flavour than raw cumin would.
- 2
Blend the spice paste. Add the red onion, fresh coriander, garlic, ginger, green chilli, ground coriander, garam masala, chilli powder, cardamom and salt to the processor and blend to a fine paste.
- 3
Drain the paste. Tip the paste onto a clean tea towel, gather up the edges and squeeze firmly over the sink until no more liquid runs out. A dry paste is essential here; if too much moisture stays in the mix, the kebabs will slide apart on the skewer instead of holding their shape.
- 4
Mix and chill the lamb. Put the lamb mince and the drained paste in a large bowl and knead with your hand for 3-4 minutes until evenly combined and slightly sticky. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours; chilling firms up the fat in the mince, which makes the mixture much easier to shape around a skewer.
- 5
Make the chutney. Blend the mint, coriander, chilli, ginger, lemon juice, sugar, salt and water until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed for a spoonable consistency. Chill until ready to serve.
- 6
Shape the kebabs. With wet hands, divide the lamb mixture into 8 portions. Squeeze each one around a skewer into a sausage shape about 15cm long and 2.5cm thick, pressing firmly along the length so there are no cracks that could fall apart on the grill.
- 7
Grill until cooked through. Heat a barbecue or ridged griddle pan over medium-high heat and brush the kebabs with oil. Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes and only once each side releases easily, until well browned all over and a thermometer in the centre reads 71°C, the safe temperature for minced lamb.
- 8
Serve. Serve the kebabs with the mint-coriander chutney, sliced red onion rings and lemon wedges on the side. A squeeze of lemon just before eating lifts the warm spicing nicely.
Storage
Cool any leftover cooked kebabs within 2 hours, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat until piping hot (74°C) before serving; the chutney keeps separately in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Equipment
- small dry frying pan
- food processor
- clean tea towel or muslin
- large bowl
- 8 flat metal skewers (or thick wooden skewers soaked 2 h)
- barbecue or ridged cast-iron griddle pan
- tongs
- instant-read probe thermometer
- blender or stick blender
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 572 kcal |
| Protein | 30.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.7 g |
| of which sugars | 3.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 45 g |
| of which saturates | 18.2 g |
| Fibre | 2.9 g |
| Salt | 2.11 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.4 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
