Indian Galawati Kebabs

GALAWAT KEBAB

INDIA

The texture of these Indian kebabs is unlike anything I have had before—very smooth, almost melting, and softer than any minced meat kebab I have ever tasted. The way to achieve this is by first asking your butcher to pass the meat twice through the fine disk of the meat grinder—you can also do this yourself if you have a meat grinder—then at home, to process the meat in a food processor until it becomes silky. Then, after adding the seasonings, you need to lightly wet your hands and work very quickly as you shape the kebabs. In the kebab shops I have been to in India, they pinch off a little of the ground meat mixture and slap it into the pan and it somehow shapes itself. Anyhow, as long as you lightly wet or oil your hand you will be fine shaping such a smooth mixture. Green papaya is used in India to tenderize the meat, but meat in the United States is tender enough so if you can’t find it, don’t worry about using it. These are normally served hot with sheermal, a thin flatbread baked in a tannur oven, but I often serve them with ready-baked naan.

SERVES 6 TO 8

2 tablespoons small chunks green papaya, both skin and flesh (optional)

1 pound 5 ounces (600 g) lean ground lamb, from the shoulder or leg

Sea salt

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying and pan-frying

4 medium onions (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), halved and cut into thin wedges

1 cup (125 g) chickpea flour, lightly toasted in a nonstick pan

2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder

2 teaspoons Garam Masala 3

1½ teaspoons ground cardamom

1½ teaspoons ground mace

½ teaspoon lazzat e-taam

½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

3 tablespoons kewra (pandanus flower extract)

2 tablespoons clotted cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Naan, for serving

1. Process the green papaya with about ¼ cup (60 ml) water in a small food processor until you have a very fine paste.

2. Process the meat in a food processor until very smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the papaya paste and salt and mix well. Let sit for 1 hour or so.

3. Pour ½ inch (1 cm) vegetable oil into a large deep skillet and heat over medium heat until hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it). Add the onion and fry until golden brown but be careful not to burn it. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on several layers of paper towel.

4. Transfer the fried onion to a food processor and process into a fine paste. Add to the meat. Add the chickpea flour, spices, kewra, clotted cream, and heavy cream and mix well with your hands. Taste and adjust the seasoning (see Note).

5. Brush a large skillet with a little vegetable oil and put over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, start to shape the meat into small patties about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter and immediately drop as many as will fit comfortably in the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side—wipe the pan clean before brushing the pan again with oil in between the batches if necessary. Serve hot with naan.

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