Galawati kebabs---Lucknow's famous kebabs in your kitchen

A couple of years ago, I had the good fortune of tasting Galawati/galouti kebabs in its city of origin, The land of the nawabs, Lucknow.

True to its reputation of being the softest kebabs imaginable, these flavorful kebabs are hard to forget once you have had them.

Every trip to Lucknow meant more Galawati kebab but then the trips were not happening frequently enough. Then I learnt how easy it was to make them and my life changed! 

Now Ino longer need to be in Lucknow to enjoy this delicacy. Here's how I made them:

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 kg minced meat  
  
  
  Grind together:
  
  100 gm grated raw papaya 
  
  Salt to taste 
  
  1 Tbsp chopped ginger 
  
  1 Tbsp chopped garlic 
  
  8 cloves 
  
  Seeds of 2 black cardamoms 
  
  2 tsp poppy seeds-roasted and dry ground 
  
  4 peppercorns 
  
  1/2 tsp pieces of cinnamon 
  
  2 Tbsp dessicated coconut-lightly roasted 
  
  2 blades of mace 
  
  5 green cardamoms 
  
  1 tsp chilli powder 
  
  1/4 tsp grated nutmeg 
  
  
  For the Kebabs:
  
  1 cup sliced onions-fried brown and crisp in 1/2 cup ghee
  
  1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves 
  
  1 Tbsp finely chopped green chillies 
  
  3 Tbsp roasted gram flour 
  
  1 egg 
  
  Ghee to pan fry the kebabs
  
  Lemon juice to sprinkle over the kebabs

METHOD

• Marinate the minced meat in the ground ingredients for 4-5 hours.

  
  

  
  
  
  Mix together the coriander leaves, green chillies, fried onions, gram flour and egg. 
  
  Add to the meat and work at it for some time, almost kneading it like a dough. 
• Shape mixture into round patties of desired size, and refrigerate for half an hour or so. 
• 
  
  
  
  
  Heat the ghee in a heavy-based frying pan or griddle. 
  
  Fry the kebabs, browning first one side and then the other, over medium heat.
•  
  
  
  
  Arrange them on a serving dish, sprinkle lemon juice and serve.