Kebab recipes by Amari Dhaka

Zafrani Paneer Tikka

Ingredients

2 strands saffron

2 tsp milk

1 medium piece ginger

5 garlic cloves

5 tsp vegetable oil

2 tsp ground turmeric

3 tbsp gram flour

2 green chillies, finely chopped

3-4 tbsp Greek yogurt

50ml double cream

4 tsp ground green cardamom

400gm paneer, cubed

3 tsp ground white pepper

4 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp salt

4 tsp dry mango powder

2 tsp black salt

2 tbsp lemon juice, to serve

Salad, to serve

METHOD

Soak the saffron in the milk and set aside.Peel the ginger and garlic and blend into a fine paste. Then, heat the oil in a pan, add the turmeric and gram flour and cook for five minutes, stirring continuously. 
Combine the ginger-garlic and gram flour pastes with the yogurt, double cream, cardamom, milk and saffron. Season well and use the mixture to coat the paneer and place the paneer on a greased baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes or, if you really like your paneer crisp, shallow-fry it in a non-stick pan instead of baking. 
Preheat the oven to 200°C then bake the paneer for 10 minutes. Serve hot sprinkled with dry mango powder, black salt, lemon juice and salad.

TANDOORI POMFRET

Ingredients
8 whole pomfret fish, cleaned and trimmed

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp tandoori masala

1 tsp garam masala

¾ cup strained plain (Greek-style) yogurt

4 tbsp mustard oil

4 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder 

2 tbsp chickpea flour

2 tbsp lemon juice 

1 tsp kosher (coarse) salt

Melted butter

Chaat masala

METHOD
Make several two-inch incisions on fish fillets, about one inch apart. In a small bowl, whisk turmeric, tandoori masala, garam masala, yogurt, mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, chickpea flour, lemon juice, and salt until combined. 
Cover fish with marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to broil, with a rack about six inches from the heat source. Line a broiler-safe baking sheet with foil. Place fish on a prepared baking sheet and broil until the edges char, for about 10 minutes.

Brush fish with melted butter, top with chaat masala, and serve with cilantro, onion rings, and lemon.

CHICKEN TIKKA

Main ingredients

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2 lemon – juiced

Tandoori marinade ingredients:
1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

2 tsp madras curry powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp mint sauce (not mint jelly)

2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

1 tbsp coriander stems/leaves chopped

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves

1 tbsp garlic ginger paste

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

METHOD
Combine all the ingredients for the tandoori marinade in a stain proof bowl.

Cut each thigh into four pieces. If you're using breast pieces, cut them into eight pieces. Combine tandoori marinade with chicken. Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 12 hours. 

Add the lemon juice to the chicken. Mix to combine. Let stand for no more than one hour.

Light your grill. Build a two zone fire if using charcoal. Turn one burner to high and another to low if using gas. Remove chicken from marinade. Use gloves if you have them and skewer the chicken.

Grill over indirect heat until almost done – around 10 to 15 minutes. Move chicken skewers over direct (high) heat and grill an additional two to four minutes, turning every minute for that perfect colour and flavour. 

MUTTON CHAPLI KEBAB

INGREDIENTS

500 gm mutton mince/keema

2 tbsp coriander powder

2 tbsp pomegranate seeds crushed

2 tbsp crushed red chilli flakes

2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala powder

4 tbsp gram flour

2 tomatoes

2 onions

3-4 green chillies

5 tbsp coriander leaves

1 egg

Salt to taste

oil for shallow frying

METHOD
Wash and clean the mutton mince thoroughly. Strain the excess water from the keema/mutton mince. If necessary, place the keema in a muslin cloth and squeeze out the excess water. 
Add the coriander powder, red chilli flakes, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and gram flour and mix well. Finely chop the green chilli, tomato, and coriander leaves. Squeeze out the water and add to the mutton mince/keema. 
Add the egg and shape the keema. Place this prepared kebab in the fridge or freezer for half an hour and shallow fry in oil till golden brown. Serve with your favorite garnishes and yogurt dip.