Kebabs
Well, who hasn't heard about the delicious mouth-watering kebabs. Kebabs come from Turkey and have become a well-known Middle Eastern cuisine. Today the cuisine has travelled its way across the globe and several varieties of the dish can be found in different regions.
What is ‘Kebab’
Kebab simply means a ‘cooked meat dish’. Kebabs generally are made up of chopped or ground meat and can be accompanied by vegetables based on different recipes. Normally kebabs are cooked on a skewer by placing it over a coal fire, but now some recipes also call for the kebabs to be baked in a pan in the oven. Some varieties such as ‘tas kebab’ can also be prepared like a stew. Traditionally the meat that is used for kebabs includes mutton or lamb but based on regional recipes kebabs may also consist of beef, goat, chicken, and fish, and in some regions, pork may also be used depending on whether or not there are any certain religious prohibitions.
The word kabab comes from ‘Kam aab’ which means less water, according to some people it also means ‘roast’. Kebabs are mostly served in dry form. To make kebabs, the ground meat of choice is combined with minced vegetables to add flavour. The meat is then marinated in a mixture of spices. Marination often has two benefits, it adds spice to any meat and also makes it tender and cooks it fast. Kebabs are often cooked over an open fire (tandoor), the meat is threaded on an iron skewer and then broiled over high heat. This helps to seal the meat which keeps the meat juicy. The cooked kebab is often accompanied by onion rings, lemon wedges, green chillies, and mint dip. Sometimes kebabs are also served with a bread called naan to make a complete meal.
Over the years several types of kebab recipes have come about from all across the world, some of them being.
Seekh Kebab
It is certainly one of the most famous kebabs and is relished all across the world. It is mainly served as an appetizer or a snack and originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is prepared with Indian spices mixed with minced meat. Later it is grilled on skewers. The use of a variety of spices lends it a rich taste and aroma.
Reshmi Kebab
The traditional Mughlai appetizer issucculent, juicy, silky-textured and delectable. Also known as malai kebab, it is usually made of large chunks of chicken that are marinated with yoghurt, fresh cream, ground cashews, and almonds. The chicken pieces are then placed on the skewers and grilled for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 240 degrees C.
Shish Kebab
It is a popular preparation in Middle Eastern and Awadhi cuisine. The exotic appetizer is made of cut pieces of lamb marinated with lemon juice, bell peppers, olive oil, cumin, black pepper, and ginger. It is prepared by preheating the grill and cooking the lamb pieces on a skewer over a tandoor oven.
Shami Kebab:
Finding its origins in the royal kitchens of the Mughals, the shami kebab is made of finely minced mutton and other ingredients such as green chilli, red chilli, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, and black peppercorn.