Shaami Kabab

Ramzan Mubarak to all my readers,I owe an apology to you all for my absence from the blogging scene for so long,the only explanation that I can come forth is my laziness more than being busy.
Anyways, the latest update on the kids is that my younger daughter Huda has become the most talkative person in our house, and speaks non-stop and asks questions non-stop, she is the naughty bacha of our house! Sameeha has now become our 'samajhdar' bacha, who remains calm and composed most of the time(mind you,note that it is MOSTLY, NOT always), her latest passion is READING, she LOVES to read, not to mention the innumerous story books she loads in the shopping cart on each visit to Carrefour.She loves to hangout at BORDERS:)

Coming to the main topic FOOD, Shaami is our desi version of burger.
Some interesting facts about shaami kabab from wikipedia..
'Apparently Shami Kabab literally means Syrian Kabab (Sham) in Arabic. Some are of the opinion that these kebabs were introduced to South Asia during the Mughal era by Muslim emigrants from the Middle East. They had employed cooks from all over the Muslim world to serve in the royal kitchens. Some of the cooks were from Syria as well. The Sham refers to either Syria specifically or the Levant in general, and these kebabs literally means Syrian kebabs or Levantine kebabs in Arabic.'


Ingredients:
1) boneless mutton or veal 1 Kg
2) chana dal 2 handfull
3) 5-8 cardamom, 1 stick Cinnamon ,1 tsp of shahzeera.,1 tsp peppercorns. together ground to fine powder(garam masala powder)
4) ginger garlic paste 2 Tbsp
5) red chilly powder 1 tsp(accd to your taste)
6) salt
7) turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
8) cilantro 1/2 cup finely chopped
9) green chilies 4-5
10) phoole chane ki daal 1 Tbsp
11) mint leaves or pudina handful
12) lemon 1
13) badam(almonds) 1/2 cup grounded
14) desiccated coconut 1/4 cup
15) oil for frying



Method:
--Wash and soak the chana daal for about half an hour to an hour.
--set aside 3-5 pieces of meat .
--In a cooker or a saucepan put the rest of the meat,daal,ginger garlic paste,salt,red chilly powder,turmeric powder, green chillies,cilantro,mint leaves,a tbsp of oil and a cup of water.
--Set it on the stove until the meat and the daal are tender,check weather both are cooked well, then cook till all the water is evaporated and the mixture is nice and dry.
-- let it cool
--After cooling,grind the meat and daal mixture in a mixie without adding water,also add the raw pieces of meat which you kept aside,adding this will ensure that the shaami will not disintegrate while frying.
--powder the phoole chane ki daal and mix it with the grounded meat,this will make the shaami crispier.
--now to the grounded mixture add the freshly grounded garam masala powder(#3), dessicated coconut,almond powder and juice of 1 lemon
--Check for the salt and cilly at this point,adjust salt or lemon at this point.
--Now shape these into hmmmm the shape of an eye or you can can make it plain circuar disc,but traditionally it is made like the shape of an eye,by taking the mixture ,the size of a tennis ball, roll it between both the palms and then pinch at both the corners and then press at the center to make it flat, remember to grease your palms with cooking oil ,so that the mixture does not stick to your palms.
--Shape them all and the shallow fry until golden brown.
--If you plan to store it for the next day(can be stored for upto a week,very good food for travel,),you roast the shaamis on a non-stick tawa without oil and,store it in fridge or freezer, and then shallow fry just before serving.
--Enjoy it with Khatti daal and white rice...and if going on travel ,this would be ideal packed home food along with rotis and dry tamatar ki chutney:)

Lemme know how it turns out..

This recipe of mine goes out to The hyderabadi ramadan food festival hosted by Mona of Zaiqa