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a platter of seekh kababs with sliced onions, lemon wedges and cucumbers
Print Recipe

Seekh Kababs

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Pakistani, Indian, South Asian
Keyword: kababs, pakistani kababs, Pakistani tea time snacks, ramadan food
Servings: 18 kababs
Author: Zeeshan Shah

Equipment

  • medium bowl
  • skewer/chopstick metal or wooden

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef 80/20 lean to fat ratio
  • 1 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger crushed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder *see note
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 1 green chili pepper roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cilantro/coriander stems and leaves
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves

For frying

  • 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl put the minced beef, ginger, garlic, salt and spices.
  • Put the onion in the food processor and pulse a few times till it is finely chopped but not minced. Empty out into a cheese cloth or strainer and squeeze out as much water as you can. Add this to the bowl.
    Next, process the green chili and cilantro till finely chopped. Add this to the bowl as well and mix everything well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • When ready, take a skewer, wooden spoon or chopstick and use that to form the shape signature of seekh kababs. To do this, wet your hands with water, take a tennis ball sized chunk of meat and form an oblong shape around the skewer. Slide the kabab onto a plate and continue to shape the kababs with the same skewer till the meat runs out. You should get about 18 kababs.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat and add the oil to it. Pan fry the kababs till browned and cooked through about 5-6 minutes. You want a good sear.
  • Drain on a paper towel and serve with a raita, tamarind chutney and or sliced onions and cucumbers.

Notes

  • You can bake these kababs too but my husband finds that seekh kababs are much juicier when pan fried or grilled. If you do bake them, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the beef mixture and then form the kababs as above and then bake in a 400°F/204°C degree preheated oven for 25 minutes.