Seekh Kebabسیخ کباب
Video: Vismai Food (YouTube)
Seekh kebab is the most street-forward of the Mughlai kebab family — minced mutton kneaded with raw onion, herbs, and warm spices, then pressed firmly onto flat skewers and cooked over charcoal or a hot tawa. The name comes from the Urdu word for skewer (seekh), and the technique of binding the mince without any egg or breadcrumb is a matter of kitchen pride. Restaurants achieve that distinctive slightly charred exterior with a juicy interior by cooking fast over very high heat. With a roti, some sliced onion, and a bright green chutney, it is a complete meal.
📍 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
- ▪minced mutton (keema), fine grind500 g
- ▪onion, very finely minced1 medium (about 100 g)
- ▪ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lahsun paste)1.5 tsp
- ▪green chillies (hari mirch), finely chopped2-3
- ▪fresh coriander leaves (dhania), finely chopped3 tbsp
- ▪fresh mint leaves (pudina), finely chopped2 tbsp
- ▪roasted gram flour (bhuna besan)2 tbsp
- ▪garam masala powder1 tsp
- ▪red chilli powder (lal mirch)1 tsp
- ▪cumin powder (jeera powder)1 tsp
- ▪salt1.5 tsp, or to taste
- ▪oil, for cooking2-3 tbsp
- Minced mutton: Lamb mince (from a butcher or supermarket) is an exact substitute and widely available in the diaspora. Ask for a medium-fine grind, or pulse store-bought mince briefly in the food processor.
- Roasted gram flour (bhuna besan): Dry-roast regular chickpea flour (besan) in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until it turns one shade deeper and smells nutty. Cool before using. This is the binder that replaces egg in these kebabs.
- Charcoal flavour at home: After cooking on a tawa, place a small piece of live charcoal in a piece of foil in the centre of the kebab tray, drizzle 1 tsp of ghee or oil on the coal, and immediately cover with a lid or foil for 3 minutes. This dhungar technique imparts a convincing smokiness.
Method
- 1After finely mincing the onion, place it in a clean kitchen cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. This is critical — excess onion water prevents the mince from binding to the skewer.
- 2Combine the mutton keema, squeezed onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, coriander, mint, roasted gram flour, garam masala, red chilli powder, cumin powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix and knead the mixture vigorously with your hands for 5-7 minutes. The fat in the mince will help bind everything, and the mixture should feel cohesive and slightly tacky — not loose.
- 3Cover and rest the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Cold meat is firmer and easier to shape onto skewers.
- 4Divide the mixture into 8-10 equal portions. Wet your hands lightly. Take a flat metal skewer and press a portion of the mince firmly along its length, forming a cylinder about 12-14 cm long. Use your fingers to press and seal the meat firmly around the skewer, ensuring no air pockets. If cooking on a tawa instead, shape into an elongated kebab around a soaked wooden skewer or simply as a cylinder without a skewer.
- 5To grill: cook over hot charcoal or under a preheated broiler/grill, turning every 2 minutes, until evenly charred on all sides and cooked through — about 10-12 minutes total. Brush with a little oil while grilling.
- 6To cook on a tawa: heat the tawa over high heat and add 2 tbsp oil. Place the kebabs and press lightly. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, rotating to colour evenly on all sides. Drizzle a little oil as needed. Total cooking time is about 12 minutes.
- 7Slide off the skewers (if used) and serve hot with sliced onion rings, wedges of lime, and green coriander-mint chutney.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.