Galawati Kebabs (Minced Lamb Kebab)

These delicious kebabs are the mainstay of Awadhi cuisine from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (North India). 'Galawati' means 'melt in your mouth'.

The actual recipe is supposed to have more than 100 aromatic spices and high fat content. The secret of making juicy and soft Galawati kebabs is the use of high fat content i.e. about 20% of the fat. High fat also makes it responsive to tenderizers.

In my recipe of the Galawati kebabs less fat and less aromatic spices are used. The minced lamb meat is tenderized by raw Papaya to make kebabs soft. Round patties formed are stir fried over griddle and served with Green Coriander Chutney.

Ingredients:

• 1pound goat/lamb very finely minced
• 2 tbsp raw papaya paste
• 1 large onion in the form of paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chili paste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 tbsp milk powder
• 4 tbsp butter/ghee
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
• ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Ground Cardamom
• ½ tsp Black pepper ground
• 1 tsp Kewra water (available in Indian Grocery Stores)
• Pinch mace powder (Javitri)
• 3-4 tbsps Bengal Gram Flour, lightly roasted
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsps oil/ghee to pan-fry the kebabs

Method:

• Combine ground lamb, papaya, salt and pulverize it in the Food Processor or grind it fine into mincing machine. Keep it aside to marinate for one hour.
• Heat 4 tbsp of ghee/butter in a pan. Add Onion, Green chili, Garlic and Ginger paste. Sauté until moisture is evaporated and the paste is almost brown. Remove it from heat.
• Mix in cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, red chili, mace and black pepper powder. Add milk powder and Kewra.
• Stir in marinated lamb including the papaya and finely chopped mint leaves.
• Sprinkle roasted Besan over the mixture. Knead well into soft dough. Add more Besan if needed. Let mixture rest for 1 hour in refrigerator.
• Remove the mix from the refrigerator and knead again. Divide the mix in to small portions. Form the balls and press them into round patty like structures.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed skillet (on a medium flame) and pan-fry the kebabs until golden on both sides.
• Serve with Mint-coriander chutney and Khasta Paratha.

Do You Know?

Avadh was the birthplace of some of the finest food in the land. The Nawabs of Avadh had always craved the best foods even when old and toothless. This led to the innovation of one of the most celebrated kebabs of the day, the Shahi Gilawat ka Kebab, reputed to be so tender that even a toothless person could eat it without difficulty. It is also said to contain over a hundred aromatic and digestive spices that were supposed to ensure one's continued health and well-being.