Grilled · Skewered Minced Meat

Seekh Kebab

Name: Seekh Kebab recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 (8 kebabs) servings
Ingredients: 500 g minced lamb or beef, about 20% fat (do not use lean mince); 1 small onion (about 100 g), grated, then squeezed hard in a clean cloth to remove the water; 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste (or 2 garlic cloves and a 2 cm piece of ginger, crushed); 1–2 green chillies, finely chopped; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1 teaspoon chilli powder, or to taste; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1¼ teaspoons fine salt; 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan), dry-toasted in a pan for 2 minutes until it smells nutty; 1 tablespoon oil, for brushing, plus extra for your hands; To serve: naan or roti, sliced raw onion, lemon wedges, mint or tamarind chutney (shop-bought is fine)

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The name comes from the skewer itself — "seekh" simply means skewer, and the meat is molded straight onto the metal before it ever touches heat.

Spiced minced beef, mutton, or chicken is hand-pressed onto long metal skewers and grilled over charcoal until charred outside and juicy within. Karachi's outdoor markets and BBQ streets sell rows of them, usually wrapped in naan or roti with raw onions and chutney.

Why it's made this way: Skewering minced meat lets it cook fast and evenly over open charcoal, which suited the street-side, high-turnover grilling that's long defined Pakistan's night-market food culture.

What is Seekh Kebab?

Seekh kebab is spiced minced meat, usually beef, mutton or chicken, pressed by hand onto long metal skewers and grilled until charred outside and juicy inside. 'Seekh' simply means skewer. In Pakistan, and especially at barbecue streets and night markets in Karachi, cooks grill rows of them over charcoal and serve them wrapped in naan or roti with raw onion and chutney.

The kebabs hold together without egg or breadcrumbs, thanks to a well-kneaded mix with enough fat in it. They are also popular across northern India and in South Asian communities abroad, where recipes vary from cook to cook.

How to make seekh kebab

Serves 4 (8 kebabs) · prep 25 min · cook 15 min

Ingredients

500 g minced lamb or beef, about 20% fat (do not use lean mince)
1 small onion (about 100 g), grated, then squeezed hard in a clean cloth to remove the water
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste (or 2 garlic cloves and a 2 cm piece of ginger, crushed)
1–2 green chillies, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chilli powder, or to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
1¼ teaspoons fine salt
2 tablespoons gram flour (besan), dry-toasted in a pan for 2 minutes until it smells nutty
1 tablespoon oil, for brushing, plus extra for your hands
To serve: naan or roti, sliced raw onion, lemon wedges, mint or tamarind chutney (shop-bought is fine)

Method

Put the mince in a large bowl and add the squeezed onion, ginger-garlic paste, chillies, coriander, all the spices, the salt and the toasted gram flour.
Knead the mixture firmly with your hands for 3–5 minutes, until it turns sticky and paste-like. This is what holds the kebabs together on the skewer.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, so the flavours develop and the mixture firms up.
Divide into 8 portions of about 60 g each. With oiled hands, press each portion onto a flat metal skewer in a sausage shape about 15 cm (6 inches) long, squeezing so it grips the skewer with no air gaps.
To grill: heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high and oil the grate. Cook the skewers for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes and brushing with a little oil, until browned and slightly charred all over. Don't move them for the first minute or two, until they release easily.
To use the oven: heat it to 230 °C (210 °C fan). Rest the skewers across a roasting tin, or lay the kebabs on a rack, and cook 12–15 minutes, turning halfway, then grill for 2 minutes for colour.
Check with a thermometer: the centre should reach at least 71 °C, and the meat should be no longer pink. Rest for 3 minutes, then slide off onto warm naan or roti with onion, lemon and chutney.

Tips

Fat matters. Lean mince gives dry, crumbly kebabs; around 20% fat keeps them juicy and helps them hold together.
Squeeze the grated onion dry. Water from the onion is the most common reason kebabs slide off the skewer.
Keep the mixture cold and your hands oiled. Warm mince turns greasy and is harder to shape.
Do not move the kebabs until they have formed a crust, or they will tear and fall.

Regional versions

Chicken seekh kebab uses minced chicken thigh, which is also fattier than breast and gives a better result. Cook it to at least 75 °C in the centre.
Some cooks add a spoonful of chopped mint, a little crushed fennel or a splash of lemon juice to the mix.
No skewers? Shape the mixture into long ovals and cook on a rack in a hot oven, or in a heavy frying pan.

Questions

What does seekh kebab mean?

'Seekh' means skewer, and the kebab is minced meat moulded onto a skewer and grilled.

Why do my seekh kebabs fall off the skewer?

Usually because the mixture is too wet, too lean or not kneaded enough. Squeeze the onion dry, use mince with about 20% fat, knead until sticky and chill the mixture before shaping.

What temperature should seekh kebab be cooked to?

At least 71 °C in the centre for beef or lamb mince, and 75 °C for chicken. Minced meat should never be served pink in the middle.

Can you make seekh kebab in the oven?

Yes. Cook them at 230 °C for 12–15 minutes on a rack, then finish under a hot grill for colour. You will miss the charcoal smoke, but the texture is good.