Shami Kebab Recipe – Be it holy month of Ramzan or not, Kebabs are super hit any day. Talking of Kebabs, discussion can never end with out bringing Shami Chicken Kebab (शामी कबाब) into the mix.
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Shami Kebab or Kabab
Shami Kebabs are small spiced chicken patties, normally served as a starter in Indian restaurants. They look absolutely mouthwatering when served on bed of onion and fresh coriander leaves. Shami Kebab is popular Pakistani and Indian style of kebab. It is different from other kebabs primarily because shami kebab is not fried on a skewer. Shami kebab does not fall in the tandoori family. To make shami kabab, minced chicken is mixed with spices and then fried.
Different types of kebabs
In the Kebab (also spelled as kabab) family, other kebabs are
- Galouti Kebab – Originating from Lucknow, melt in mouth variant,
- Sheekh Kebab – done on sckewers and hence the name,
- Kakori Kebab– originating from Kakori, a city outside Lucknow,
- Tangdi Kebab – Chicken kebab made with chicken legs,
- Kalmi Kebab – is usually made with chicken leg, is a milder version and is made with a white marinade which has cream, yogurt and cheese. These are some prominent names. I will gradually cover these in my blog as and when time permits, for now focussing on this Shami Kabab.
Origin and history of Shami Kebab
There is a story that shami kebabs were invented by a skilled chef for a toothless Nawab of Lucknow. The Nawab was apparently too fat to even get on horse and had no teeth. Hence a kebab was made so fine, soft and tender that it required no teeth to eat it, at the same time offering greatest possible taste.
Method to make Shami Kebab
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat and add onions to it. Once translucent, add ginger-garlic paste to it and sauté till the raw smell goes off.
- Add turmeric powder, salt and cumin powder and sauté again for a minute. Here on, add chopped green chillies, soaked chana dal and the chicken.
- Mix well and add half cup of water and cover the pan with lid. Cook this chicken on low heat, and once cooked increase the heat and let all the moisture evaporate with constant stirring. At this point when water has evaporated, switch off the flame and let the mixture cool completely.
- Transfer this onto a grinding jar and grind it to a smooth paste. Transfer this into a bowl and add garam masala, chat masala, lemon juice and beaten eggs. Subsequently, mix it well and divide the mixture into equal parts.
- Heat sufficient oil in a kadai on medium heat, and shape the kebabs into flat discs / tikki and deep fry them till golden brown. Finally, take these kebabs out on a kitchen towel and serve hot.
Pro Tips
- You can use boneless chicken pieces for this recipe, instead of minced chicken. Just cut them into small pieces before cooking as that will help in quick and easy cooking and will grind easily too. However I have used already minced chicken as I was having that available at home.
- You can prepare the cooked mixture in 1-2 days advance and keep the mixture in fridge. Just fry them on the day of eating.
- You can try the baked version of Shami kebab by baking it, rather than deep frying (Low calories but taste will be slightly different)
- You can add chopped green coriander too to the recipe.
- If in case your mixture is not binding properly, add little more beaten eggs and 1 tablespoon of Gram flour / Besan to it.
- You can add little breadcrumbs too to the mixture to give extra crispness, since breadcrumbs are crispy in nature.
This Shami Kebab Is
- A great chicken starter, and would be loved by even people with chewing difficulty.
- Gluten-free, which means gluten intolerants can enjoy this kebab.
- A filling appetiser, because it contains chicken and a single kebab / stake of this chicken can fill the tummy well.
- A unique kebab, where its cooked not on skewers, but in a pan.
Serving suggestion
Serve these kebabs on a bed of sliced onion along with some lemon. Make sure you provide condiment like green chutney to go with it. You can prepare green chutney in advance.
Healthy version
To make healthier kebab, instead of frying in pan, you can use air frier, or even bake in an oven. These versions will be much healthier.
Left over shami kebab
In case you have left over shami kebab, you can use that kebab in a wrap. Add some onion, chutneys and wrap around in a tortilla, and a fabulous lunch is ready.
Alternatively, you can also use this shami kebab as a patty in the burger.
Recipe Card
Shami Kebab Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 Grams Minced Boneless Chicken
- 1/3 Cup Chana Dal/ Split Gram Lentils Soaked for 3-4 hours
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 3 Green chillies Finely Chopped
- 2 Onions Medium Size (Finely Chopped)
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 2 Beaten Eggs
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Chaat Masala Optional
- 2 Teaspoon Oil
- Oil For Deep Frying
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat and add onions to it. Once translucent, add ginger-garlic paste to it and sauté till the raw smell goes off.
- Add Turmeric powder, salt and cumin powder and sauté again for a minute. Now add chopped green chillies, soaked chana dal and the chicken.
- Mix well and add half cup of water and cover the pan with lid. Slow down the heat and let it cook gently until the chicken is cooked. Now Increase the heat and let all the moisture evaporate with constant stirring. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool completely.
- Transfer this onto a grinding jar and grind it to a smooth paste. Transfer this into a bowl and add Garam Masala, chat masala, Lemon juice and beaten eggs.
- Mix it well and divide the mixture into equal parts.
- Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai on medium heat and shape the Kebabs into flat discs/tikki and deep fry them till golden brown. Take them out on a kitchen towel and serve hot.
Notes
- You can use boneless chicken pieces for this recipe, instead of minced chicken. Just cut them into small pieces before cooking as that will help in quick and easy cooking and will grind easily too. However I have used already minced chicken as I was having that available at home.
- You can prepare the cooked mixture in 1-2 days advance and keep the mixture in fridge. Just fry them on the day of eating.
- You can try the baked version of Shami kebab by baking it, rather than deep frying (Low calories but taste will be slightly different)
- You can add chopped green coriander too to the recipe.
- If in case your mixture is not binding properly, add little more beaten eggs and 1 tablespoon of Gram flour/Besan to it.
- You can add little breadcrumbs too to the mixture to give extra crispness.
Nutrition
