Shikampuri Kebab

This is a delicious kebab from the Royal kitchens of Hyderabad!

The kebab has a filling of hung yogurt, mint and onions!

Recipe of Chef Kunal Kapoor!


Ingredients:
Boneless meat-1/2 kg cut into small pieces,
Ginger -1 inch chopped into small pieces,
Garlic-1 small pod or 6 to 7 big pieces-chopped,
Bay leaves-2
Shah jeera or black cumin-1 tsp,
Cumin or jeera-1 tsp,
Black cardamom-2,
White cardamom-5,
Black pepper- 1 tsp,
Clove-3 to 4,
Whole red chilli-1 to 2 (according to your taste),
Green chilli-1,
Red chilli pwd-1/4 tsp,
Onions-2 chopped,
Yellow gram dal or chana dal-100 gms-soak in water for 2 hours,
Turmeric pwd or haldi pwd-1/2 tsp,
Coriander pwd-1 tsp,
Oil-2 tbsp,
Salt-3/4 tsp or according to taste-you can always adjust salt while grinding.
Water-1/4 cup.

Kebab filling-
Hung yogurt- 3 to 4 tbsp( Hang 1 cup of thick yogurt in a muslin cloth for 2 hours and you will get hung curd),
Fresh mint leaves-8 to 10,
Green chilli-1-deseeded and finely chopped)
Onion-1 small chopped into small pieces,
Salt -a pinch.

Method:I have boiled the meat in cooker to save time.
You can boil it in a pan.
If using a pan,add 1 cup of water to the meat.

Wash the boneless meat and leave it in a strainer for few minutes for the water to drain out.
Chop the meat into small pieces.
Take a bowl and put  meat and add bay leaves,cloves,black, white cardamom,white and black cumin,black pepper corn,whole red chilli,green chilli,chopped onions,ginger and chopped garlic,turmeric pwd,red chilli pwd,coriander pwd,salt,soaked gram or chana dal and oil.

Mix all and put in the cooker or pot in which you plan to cook the meat.

Add 1/4 cup of water if using a cooker or 1 cup if using a pan to boil the meat mixture,
Mix.

Cover and let it cook on high heat till the cooker gives out 1 whistle and then lower the heat for 20 minutes.

If using  a pan then let it cook in simmer until the meat is tender.
Keep checking so that it does not stick to the bottom.

Once the meat is tender,dry the water in the cooker.

Use a ladle to crush the cooked meat to a paste.

Leave it to cool.
The mixture will be gooey but as it cools it will become more firm.
Discard the bay leaves, big cardamom and cloves.
Grind the mixture in a mixie to a smooth texture.

Use small quantity while grinding the meat mixture as large quantity will be difficult to grind.
Once grinded,mix the whole mixture by hand and evenly divide it into 10 balls.

Filling-  Take 3 to 4 tbsp of hung curd in a bowl and smooth it with a spoon.
Tear the mint leaves into small pieces and mix it with hung curd.
Add chopped onions and a pinch of salt.
Slit green chilli and deseed it.

Chop finely and mix it with yogurt mixture.


Make round balls.
 Take one ball and then make a well in the center by cupping it in your hand.

 Fill 1 tsp of mixed yogurt mixture and close it from the top.
Give it a shape by slightly patting it.
Place it horizontally on the cutting board and roll it to give the edges its shape.
Place the filled kebab in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
 Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a flat pan and shallow fry both sides on medium heat.

Serve with hung yogurt and topped with fresh mint leaves.

Makes 10 Shikampuri kebabs!

Hasselback Apples

Hasselback is a style from Hasselback potatoes,which are made using large size potatoes.

Hasselback potato is a swedish speciality.
The meaning is to roast in hot oven until extremely crunchy and golden on the outside but soft and mushy in the inside.
A potato that straddles the line between roasted and baked and that happens to be pretty too.
The style has been copied to make with large size apples.
It is very light and a delicious dessert which goes very well with vanilla icecream.

Ingredients:
Large size apples(red ones)-2,
Brown sugar-2 and 1/2 tbsp-divided,
Melted butter-2 and 1/2 tbsp-divided,
Regular oats-2 tbsp,
Cinnamon pwd-3/4 tsp-divided,
Plain flour or maida-1 tsp.

Method:(This can be made in a 8 inch casserole or any pan the size in which the apples will fit. If made in a casserole you will not need a tray beneath it as the base is thick)
Pre heat oven to 200C
Peel, chop and core the apples into halves .

Using a knife cut the halves almost midway spacing 1/4 inch intervals.

Place apples halves cut side down in a greased pan or greased casserole.
Take a small bowl and mix 1 tbsp of butter,1/2 tsp of cinnamon pwd and 1 tbsp of brown sugar.

Brush the mixture evenly on the apples.

Cover with a aluminium foil and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

If you are using a pan then place a tray underneath to prevent  the juice at the bottom  from sticking and overbrowning.

Take out after 10 minutes and leave it to cool for 7 to 8 minutes.
Combine the remaining 1 and 1/2 tbsp of sugar,1 and 1/2 tbsp of butter,remaining cinnamon pwd, 1 tsp of flour and 1 tsp of oats in a bowl.

Carefully fan open apple halves and spoon the mixture evenly inside and over the apples.

Bake for another 10 minutes at 200 C .

Turn the broiler to high and bake for 2 minutes to evenly brown the top.

Take out and leave to cool.

Enjoy this light dessert with a dallop of icecream.
Can be kept in fridge for few days.

Makes 4 servings!

Pineapple upside down cake

Ingredients for batter:

Flour or maida-1 and 1/2 cup or 195 gms,

Sugar-3/4 cup or 95 gms,

Butter-100 gms,

Baking powder-1 tsp,

Eggs-2-separated,

Milk-1/2 cup or 120 ml,

Cream of tartar or lemon juice-few drops,

Vanilla-1 tsp.

For caramel-(topping)

Butter-4 tbsp or 1/ cup4 or 55 gms,

Pineapple-1 medium size-peeled,quartered,cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices,

Light brown sugar-3/4 cup or 100gms.

Note:This is a sweet cake as sugar is used twice,in the batter and as a topping in the form of caramel.

You can lessen the amount of sugar in the batter to 80 gms.

Method:

Butter a 8 inch round cake pan.

Topping:

Place butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat with a spatula  until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved.

Continue cooking without stirring for few more minutes or until the sides are bubbling and the sugar is caramelised.

Remove from heat and pour into the greased cake pan.

.

Evenly arrange the fresh pineapples slices on the caramel.

Cake batter: Pre heat oven to 180 C

 In a clean bowl beat the egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice or cream of tartar just until peak.

Keep aside.

Sift flour and baking pwd in a bowl.

In another bowl beat butter  for few seconds and then add sugar and beat for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add egg yolk and beat for a minute.

Add vanilla essence and beat for few seconds.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk ending with the flour mixture.

Remove the beater and with a spatula gently fold in the egg whites into the batter in two additions.

Pour the batter into the cake pan.

Bake in a pre- heated oven for 45 minutes or until the top of the cake has browned and starts to pull away from sides.

Tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let it cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Run a knife around the edges of the pan and then invert the cake on to your serving plate.

Leave it to cool for 1/2 hour.

Best eaten fresh but can be kept in the fridge for few days.