Make this dish

That’s all you need to know. Whether you’re missing an ingredient or two, or simply intimidated by the ingredient list, put all those limiting thoughts aside and treat yourself to this remarkable culinary experience.

It’s hands down one of the most incredible meat preparations I’ve ever tasted. If you buckle down and follow my instructions step by step you’ll easily get through the whole process in about one and half hours. One bite of these delicate kababs makes it all worthwhile.

I found the original recipe on Rasa Malaysia and made a few changes to streamline the process and incorporate some healthier ingredients. For example, to avoid doing the same work twice, I blended enough of the core ingredients found in both chutney and stuffing right from the start, then added the few extra ingredients unique to the stuffing. This is and other shortcuts are outlined in my instructions.

Don’t let the list of spices and herbs be intimidating

Rest assured that the dish will still have you licking your lips if you omit a couple ingredients. The first time I made this dish I was missing the Garam Masala altogether, as well as the cardamom pods which I substituted with cardamom powder. The results were every bit as good. The essence of this dish cannot be denied!

Serve

With a quick batch of amaranth, cooked on a base of sautéed onions, lightly seasoned with coriander. It’s the perfect grain to pair with the delicate paté like texture of the pureed lamb. Any other grain would have been far too bulky.
Along with a side of thinly sliced cucumber dressed with my Mint Yogurt Dressing.

One final aside

If you’re intrigued but pressed for time, the sautéed mixture of meat, lentils, spices and herbs alone is incredibly tasty. That part of the preparation only takes about 15 minutes, and would hardly require rolling up your sleeves.

Mouth-Watering Lamb Shammi Kababs With Amaranth

Created by Patryce Kinga Bak on May 24, 2016

This dish is a mouth-watering delight. Complex and delicate, it’s simply one of the most incredible meat dishes I’ve ever tasted. It’s a process, I won’t lie. But if you want to play a Michelin star chef for a day, here’s your chance! The rewards are well worth the toil. Easily double the ingredients for a larger party.

Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 1h
Total Time: 1h 30m

Serves: 3
Yield: 6 palm sized patties

Ingredients

Kababs

1 pound Pasture-raised Lamb, ground
1/4 cup Yellow Lentils, dry
1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced (about 1 inch piece)
8 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 Green Cardamom Pods, black seeds shelled from the pods, ground
1 stick Cinnamon, (or 1/2 Tbsp ground)
3 Cloves, ground
1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
6 Black Peppercorns, fresh cracked
1/2 teaspoon Coriander, ground
1/2 teaspoon Cumin, ground
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt, or to taste
For Frying Kababs:
1 Pasture-raised Egg, beaten
1/4 cup Ghee (clarified butter) or Butter or Avocado Oil, for shallow fry

Stuffing/ Green Chutney Base

1 medium Red Onion, chopped
1/4 cup or 1/3 bunch Fresh Mint Leaves
1 bunch Fresh Cilantro, ends removed
1 Lemon or Lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt, or to taste

Remaining Green Chutney

2 Serrano or Thai Chillies, washed, stems and seeds removed
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 teaspoon Raw Honey
1/4 cup Filtered Water, add more if needed, retain a thick consistency
Garnish Options

Garnish Options

Cucumber, thinly sliced
Red Onion, minced
Fresh Tomato, diced
Lemon Wedges
Plain Greek Yogurt or Mint Yogurt Sauce

Instructions

Meat Step 1

Wash yellow lentils and soak for half an hour. (If you have the time, soak lentils for 6-8 hours with a dash of vinegar.)
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of butter, add soaked lentils, minced meat, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, salt and warm water.
Cook on medium heat till all the water evaporates. About 7 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat, add ginger, garlic, red chilli powder, garam masala, black pepper, coriander and cumin powder.
Use a stainless steel hand blender to grind the mixture to a fine paste.

Stuffing

Prepare the stuffing while the meat is simmering down. Combine in a blender or food processor: onion, mint, coriander leaves, lemon juice and salt to taste.

Meat Step 2

In a bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt.
To make the kababs, take a palm-sized portion of the now cooled ground meat in your palm. Roll into a ball then slightly flatten it. Press down gently in the center to create a small depression. Fill with about a teaspoon of stuffing and fold the edges of the ground meat over to cover the stuffing.
Heat ghee/ butter/ avocado oil in a pan on medium-high heat to sear. Pat to flatten the top of the kababs, then dip each kabab in the beaten egg before placing in the pan.
Fry till golden, 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove and place on unbleached parchment paper to drain oil.