Mutton Seekh Kebab at Home: Juicy Skewers With a Charcoal Finish, On the Grill or In the Oven

A good seekh kebab gives way the moment you bite it, then the smoke and green chilli arrive together. Restaurants get that texture from very fine mince and a fierce charcoal bed, but neither is out of reach at home. The real secrets are drier than people expect: mince with no water in it, a short rest in the fridge so the fat firms up, and wet hands when the mixture goes onto the skewers. Get those three right and the kebabs hold, stay juicy and take on proper char at the edges.

Ingredients

Half a kilogram of mutton mince with about twenty percent fat, passed through the mincer twice; one small onion, grated and squeezed bone dry in a cloth; one tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste; two green chillies and a small handful of fresh coriander, chopped very fine; one teaspoon of red chilli powder; one teaspoon of roasted cumin powder; half a teaspoon of garam masala; half a teaspoon of black pepper; one teaspoon of salt; one tablespoon of gram flour (besan), dry-roasted, to bind; a pinch of baking soda, optional, for softness.

Method

Tip the mince into a wide bowl and work in the squeezed onion, ginger-garlic paste, chillies, coriander and every dry spice with your hand for a full three to four minutes, almost kneading it, until the mixture turns pale and sticky. Fold in the roasted gram flour last, cover and rest in the fridge for at least one hour — two is better. With wet palms, take a ball of mixture and press it evenly around a flat metal skewer in a long sausage shape, squeezing gently so there are no air pockets. On charcoal, grill over high heat for eight to ten minutes, turning every couple of minutes and brushing once with oil or melted butter, until char lines appear and the juices run clear. In an oven, set the skewers across a tray at 220°C for fifteen to eighteen minutes, turning halfway, then finish for two minutes under the grill. Rest the kebabs five minutes before sliding them off the skewers.

Serving

Serve the seekh kebabs straight onto warm naan with onion rings, a squeeze of lemon and green mint chutney on the side. They also sit happily in a paratha roll with a little imli sauce. Any leftovers crumble beautifully into next day’s keema or a kebab sandwich.