Headbanger's Kitchen

Passport & Plate - Mutton Kebabs

India | Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | 1 photos

Ingredients
500 grams Mutton Mince
1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 an Onion
1 Green Chilly
1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
1/2 Tsp Dhania Powder (Coriander Powder)
1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder (Opt)
Salt to taste
a bunch of Coriander
a few mint leaves (for garnish)
a chopped lime (for garnish)

 

How to prepare this recipe
1. Mix the ginger garlic paste into the mutton mince and season with salt.
2. Make a chutney with the onion, coriander and green chilly and add to the mince
3. Season further with garam masala and dhania powder. If you are using the red chilli powder add it in now.
4. Mix all the ingredients into the mince and shape into bite size kebabs.
5. Heat a pan with oil and fry the kebabs till done
6. Garnish with mint and lime.
7. Serve hot with green coriander chutney

 

The story behind this recipe
Growing up in a middle-class family in India, food at home was always about moderation, eating just enough and no more, whether it was a piece of chocolate or one helping of rice and dal. The only exception to this rule was when I’d go to visit my grandmother; for those few magical days, everything was permitted and my brother and I would happily stuff our faces with my grandma’s fantastic cooking. And especially for me, because she knew I loved them, she’d make her delectable mutton kababs – tender succulent morsels of minced goat meat, marinated in hand-ground spices and fried on a griddle. Most Indian food tends to drown the taste of the meat in spices but not this; this was just delicately spiced and it let the meat be the hero. I owe my appreciation of subtle flavours and my palate to this dish – not only did it help me understand the finer nuances of cooking but, because I was greedy and wanted to eat this all the time, it pushed me to learn the recipe and cook for myself. Today, I have an online cooking show on YouTube called Headbanger’s Kitchen, fuelled by the same love for food kindled in me by my grandmother’s kababs. Fittingly, I also made this recipe on the show when I hosted a musician who’s been my personal hero – Greek drummer George Kollias from the American metal band Nile – and this was his introduction to Indian food. I perfected my recipe on the show and it was a proud moment for when Kollias really appreciated the kababs. For me, those kababs are the epitome of my grandmother’s love and the love for good food that she fostered in me.