Kakori Kebabकाकोरी कबाब

Name: Kakori Kebab
Prep time: 150 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Awadhi / Lucknowi
Ingredients: 500g fine mutton mince, double-ground; 2 tbsp raw papaya paste; 3 tbsp fried onion paste (birista); 1½ tsp ginger-garlic paste; ½ tsp mace powder (javitri); ½ tsp green cardamom powder; ¼ tsp clove powder; ¼ tsp white pepper; 2 tbsp gram flour (besan), dry-roasted until fragrant; 3 tbsp khoya (dried milk solids); 1 raw egg; 2 tbsp ghee, for basting

⏱ Prep 150m🍳 Cook 20m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Non-veg

Video: Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana (YouTube)

Kakori Kebab was born in the royal kitchens of Nawab Syed Mohammad Haider Kazim of Kakori, near Lucknow, as a direct rebuttal to a colonial officer's jibe that Indian food was too rustic. The result — silk-smooth mutton and fat, perfumed with mace and cardamom, grilled on skewers over live coals — became one of the finest achievements of Awadhi cuisine. Raw papaya in the marinade tenderises the meat to a degree that time alone cannot explain, and khoya binds the mixture into something that melts rather than chews.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

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Ingredients

▪fine mutton mince, double-ground500g
▪raw papaya paste2 tbsp
▪fried onion paste (birista)3 tbsp
▪ginger-garlic paste1½ tsp
▪mace powder (javitri)½ tsp
▪green cardamom powder½ tsp
▪clove powder¼ tsp
▪white pepper¼ tsp
▪gram flour (besan), dry-roasted until fragrant2 tbsp
▪khoya (dried milk solids)3 tbsp
▪raw egg1
▪ghee, for basting2 tbsp
▪salt1 tsp

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Raw papaya paste is a powerful natural tenderiser. Find it at South Asian or Southeast Asian grocery stores. Substitute: 1 tsp kiwi purée (aggressive, use sparingly) or 2 tbsp plain yogurt (milder). The papaya version gives the most authentic texture.
Khoya (dried milk solids) is available at Indian grocery stores. Make it at home by simmering 500ml full-fat milk for 45 minutes until reduced to a firm paste. Substitute: 2 tbsp full-fat ricotta mixed with 1 tsp butter — not traditional but functionally similar.
Flat metal seekh skewers are essential for the shape. Without them, shape the mixture into thin oval patties and pan-cook in ghee over medium-high heat; they won't have the smokiness but will taste excellent.

Method

1Mix the mutton mince with raw papaya paste, ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to tenderise the meat fully.
2Add fried onion paste, khoya, mace powder, cardamom powder, clove powder, white pepper, and dry-roasted besan to the marinated mince. Mix thoroughly.
3Add the egg and knead the mixture vigorously for 5 minutes until smooth, cohesive, and slightly sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
4Divide into 10–12 portions. Wet your hands with cold water and press each portion around a flat metal skewer in a long, thin sausage shape — about 1.5cm diameter. The kebab must be thin, not a compact ball.
5Grill over hot coals or under a high-heat broiler, turning every 90 seconds and basting generously with ghee, for 8–10 minutes total until lightly charred outside and cooked through.
6Slide off the skewers immediately. Serve at once with roomali roti, sliced raw onion rings, a wedge of lemon, and green chutney. Do not rest or they cool and tighten.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.