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Here’s how to make that perfect tandoori kabab
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Photo: S. Subramanium
Grill it Chicken Seekh Kebab
Tandoors used to be called “sanjha choolha” or “common oven” during the Mughal period. It was used for baking bread and was found in the centre of the village where all the ladies would bring their dough to bake tandoori roti or naan. In Arabic the word kab refers to the turning movement and cabob means a piece of meat or vegetable roasted or grilled. Any of these words combined could have given rise to the word “kabab”. Kabab making has become a very important cuisine in itself due to various reasons. Kababs are good for weight watchers, as they are devoid of excess oil and other saturated fats.
This in turn has led to specialisation in kabab cooking, owing to a lot of experimentation. Whether it is a rack of lamb, a piece of chicken or a fish tikka, the mastery of tandoori cooking lies in the meat being cooked while retaining its juices. When a meat piece is plunged into a hot tandoor where the temperature is about 600 degrees centigrade, the outer crust is roasted to a kind of shell or seal, which helps to retain the juices inside. Kababs should not be overcooked, as they tend to become hard and dry. The marinade should be a thick paste. And when using curd as a marinade, it should be hung so that excess liquid drains off. The spices should be appropriately pounded to bring out the required aroma. As temperature is the key to tandoori cooking, remember to evenly spread the coal at the bottom of the tandoor to ensure an even temperature. Also, when curd or cream is being used as a marinade, add some flour or besan (gram flour)to avoid curdling. Here’s atandoori recipe .
Murg seekh kabab
Ingredients
Mince chicken: 350 gms
salt to taste
White pepper: 3 gms
Cardamom powder: 2 gms
Cashew and cheese paste: 50 gms
Cream: 25 ml
Ginger-garlic paste: 5 gms
Egg: 1
Garlic: 15 gms Lemon juice: 30 ml
Method
Wash the mince chicken thoroughly and pat dry.
For the first marinade, mix the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and salt into the chicken. Rub well and keep aside for about an hour.
For the second marinade, mix all the remaining ingredients with the chicken and keep aside for about two to three hours, as it’s necessary for the chicken to absorb the flavours of the marinade.
Make four portions of the mince and skewer in an elongated kabab shape. Repeat the same after one inch gap till all four kababs have been skewered.
Roast in a moderately hot tandoor (clay oven) or over a charcoal grill for six to seven minutes. Alternatively, a preheated convectional oven at 350 degrees centigrade can be used. Remove from the tandoor or oven, hang the skewer for two to three minutes to drain off the excess moisture. Baste with melted butter and roast for another three to four minutes. Serve hot with mint chutney.
MONISH GUJRAL
(The author is the MD, Moti Mahal Tandoori Trail chain of restaurants and can be e-mailed at motimahal@vsnl.com)
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