by Anissa Helou
Moroccan Kefta
KEFTA
MOROCCO
Moroccan kefta is a lot more intense in flavor than the Lebanese one. One of its main seasonings is the complex ras el-hanout, a mixture of more than twenty spices, including cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, the now-illegal aphrodisiac Spanish fly, and dried roses, and the meat is mixed with even more herbs. You can mold it around skewers as with the Lebanese kefta or simply shape it into patties and pan-fry it. These are traditionally served with a tomato and onion salad and Moroccan Bread.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), quartered
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the bottom stems discarded
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded
A handful of mint leaves
2 small handfuls of marjoram leaves
2¼ pounds (1 kg) lean lamb, finely ground
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ras el-hanout (optional)
Sea salt
1. Put the onions and herbs in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and add the ground lamb, spices, and salt. Mix with your hands until evenly blended.
2. Divide the meat into 24 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and wrap each tightly around a skewer (preferably flat), squeezing the meat up and down, to form a sausage 4 or 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long. Pinch it quite thin at each end.
3. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
4. Grill or broil the skewers for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until done to your liking. Serve immediately.
Meat Satay
SATE DAGING
INDONESIA
Satay or sate could be considered the national dish of Indonesia, found everywhere from the humblest street stall to an upmarket restaurant to the most elegant of celebrations. Satay is basically skewered meat, fish, poultry, or even tofu. Traditionally the skewers themselves were made from the center of palm fronds, but most people nowadays use bamboo skewers, which need to soak before they are put on the fire. I love watching satay street vendors in Indonesia ply their trade. Some will set up shop right outside their homes. Others will wheel carts filled with half-cooked skewers and at the front of the cart they will have a charcoal fire on which they will finish cooking the skewers to give them to you piping hot, served on a leaf, either already dipped in a sauce kept hot in a pot on the side or with sauce on the side for you to dip your skewers into. Those sellers who have access to electricity will use a fan to keep their fires going, while others will use a fan woven from palm leaves. The dipping sauce for these meat skewers is made with peanuts.
SERVES 4
FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
About 1 cup (5 ounces/150 g) raw peanuts
2 shallots (2 ounces/60 g), finely chopped
1 fresh chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
1 medium tomato (3½ ounces/100 g), peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Sea salt
Juice of 1 lime
FOR THE MEAT
1 pound 10 ounces (750 g) tender boneless beef or lamb, cut into smallish cubes or sliced into strips ¼ inch (0.5 cm) thick
1. Soak 16 medium bamboo skewers for 30 minutes in cold water.
2. To make the sauce: Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) oil into a deep skillet and heat over medium heat until hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it). Add the peanuts and deep-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to a sieve to drain off any excess oil. Let cool, then grind finely in a mortar or a food processor.
3. Drain off most of the oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Add the shallots and chili and fry for a couple of minutes before adding the garlic. Fry for 1 minute more before adding the tomato, soy sauce, and the ground peanuts. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and salt to taste and let bubble gently for 10 minutes. Add the lime juice. Take off the heat and let cool.
4. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
5. To prepare the meat: Thread the cubes or strips of meat onto the bamboo skewers and grill or broil for 3 minutes on each side, or until the meat is done to your liking. Serve immediately with the peanut sauce.
Chicken Satay
SATE AYAM
INDONESIA
Here is the chicken version of satay with a slightly different nut sauce, where the peanuts are mixed with candlenuts. If you can’t find the latter, use cashews or almonds. The dipping sauce here is also used as a marinade to give the meat a more intense flavor. The same sauce can also be used with meat or fish. There are many different dipping sauces, including a quick version made by simply mixing soy sauce with scallions and chili.
SERVES 4
FOR THE MARINADE/SAUCE
5 candlenuts or cashews, or 10 blanched almonds
5 cloves garlic
2 fresh red chilies, cut into medium chunks
Sea salt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
Finely ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup (75 g) raw peanuts, finely ground
1 tablespoon kecap manis (or 1 teaspoon sugar), plus more for the sauce
FOR THE SATAY
1 pound 10 ounces (750 g) boneless, skinless dark chicken meat, cut into long strips ¼ inch (0.5 cm) thick
1. Soak 14 medium bamboo skewers for 30 minutes in cold water.
2. To make the marinade: Put the candlenuts, garlic, chilies, and a little salt in a mortar and grind with a pestle until you have a fine paste—you can also do this in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl. Add the coriander, black pepper, and cayenne and mix well.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the candlenut-garlic mixture and fry until lightly colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the peanuts and kecap manis and fry for another couple of minutes. Let cool.
4. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
5. To prepare the satay: Marinate the chicken in the sauce for at least 30 minutes or longer, then scrape the marinade off the chicken before threading it equally onto the skewers. Grill or broil for 3 minutes on each side, or until completely cooked through.
6. Meanwhile, scrape the leftover marinade into a small saucepan. Add ½ cup (125 ml) water and a little more kecap manis (or a little sugar) and bring to a boil over medium heat. Transfer to a small bowl and serve as a dipping sauce with the grilled chicken.
Indian Galawati Kebabs
GALAWAT KEBAB
INDIA
The texture of these Indian kebabs is unlike anything I have had before—very smooth, almost melting, and softer than any minced meat kebab I have ever tasted. The way to achieve this is by first asking your butcher to pass the meat twice through the fine disk of the meat grinder—you can also do this yourself if you have a meat grinder—then at home, to process the meat in a food processor until it becomes silky. Then, after adding the seasonings, you need to lightly wet your hands and work very quickly as you shape the kebabs. In the kebab shops I have been to in India, they pinch off a little of the ground meat mixture and slap it into the pan and it somehow shapes itself. Anyhow, as long as you lightly wet or oil your hand you will be fine shaping such a smooth mixture. Green papaya is used in India to tenderize the meat, but meat in the United States is tender enough so if you can’t find it, don’t worry about using it. These are normally served hot with sheermal, a thin flatbread baked in a tannur oven, but I often serve them with ready-baked naan.
SERVES 6 TO 8
2 tablespoons small chunks green papaya, both skin and flesh (optional)
1 pound 5 ounces (600 g) lean ground lamb, from the shoulder or leg
Sea salt
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying and pan-frying
4 medium onions (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), halved and cut into thin wedges
1 cup (125 g) chickpea flour, lightly toasted in a nonstick pan
2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
2 teaspoons Garam Masala 3
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1½ teaspoons ground mace
½ teaspoon lazzat e-taam
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons kewra (pandanus flower extract)
2 tablespoons clotted cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Naan, for serving
1. Process the green papaya with about ¼ cup (60 ml) water in a small food processor until you have a very fine paste.
2. Process the meat in a food processor until very smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the papaya paste and salt and mix well. Let sit for 1 hour or so.
3. Pour ½ inch (1 cm) vegetable oil into a large deep skillet and heat over medium heat until hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it). Add the onion and fry until golden brown but be careful not to burn it. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on several layers of paper towel.
4. Transfer the fried onion to a food processor and process into a fine paste. Add to the meat. Add the chickpea flour, spices, kewra, clotted cream, and heavy cream and mix well with your hands. Taste and adjust the seasoning (see Note).
5. Brush a large skillet with a little vegetable oil and put over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, start to shape the meat into small patties about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter and immediately drop as many as will fit comfortably in the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side—wipe the pan clean before brushing the pan again with oil in between the batches if necessary. Serve hot with naan.
NOTE: I don’t mind tasting raw meat but if you don’t like doing this, sear a little meat in a hot pan and taste to adjust the seasoning if need be.
Hyderabadi Kebab
INDIA
Kebabs in India are sometimes made with already cooked meat instead of raw—strange, given that you don’t necessarily need to cook meat twice. This said, cooking the meat before grinding it and grilling it makes for a different texture, and these kebabs are quite delicious, and typical of Hyderabadi cuisine, so they’re definitely worth the trouble to make.
SERVES 4
6 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
1–inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 green chilies, thinly sliced
3 medium-hot dried chilies
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons chana dal (yellow split peas)
9 ounces (250 g) lean ground lamb
1 tablespoon yogurt
Leaves from 2 sprigs mint, finely chopped
Sea salt
2 small shallots (1½ ounces/45 g total), halved and cut into wedges
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 organic egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a medium pot over medium heat until hot. Add the black cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds, then add the ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Stir until fragrant, then add the dried chilies and the turmeric. Stir for another minute or so, then add the chana dal and sauté for a minute or so. Add the lamb, yogurt, mint, and salt to taste and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and let bubble for 30 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed and the chana dal is very soft. Adjust the salt if necessary.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in another skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the cooked meat mixture to a food processor and process with the fried shallots until you have a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. Add the cilantro and half the beaten egg. Mix with your hand and check if the mixture can be easily shaped. If it is still a little stiff, add a little more egg. The whole egg may make it too soft to shape. Once you have the right consistency, shape the mixture into 8 medium patties or into 8 fat fingers.
4. Wipe the skillet in which you fried the shallots and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee over medium heat. When the ghee is hot, add the meat patties or fingers and fry until browned on all sides. Serve hot.
Grilled Lamb’s Liver
KOUAH
MOROCCO
These kebabs are typical street food in Morocco and I usually have them at butchers who have a grill within their stall so that I can be sure of the freshness of the liver. Those butchers who do not have a grill within their premises are often located next to grill stalls or cafés, and all you have to do is to buy the meat from the butcher and take it to the grill man for him to season and grill it. Obviously this kind of setup does not exist in the West, so just make sure you source very fresh liver from a good butcher to season and grill at home. Serve with a salad.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1¾ pounds (800 g) lamb’s liver, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Sea salt
Lemon wedges and flatbread, for serving
1. Mix the liver, garlic, parsley, cumin, paprika, and salt to taste in a bowl. Let marinate for at least 2 hours in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
3. Thread the liver onto 8 or 12 long skewers depending on how many you want to serve. Grill or broil for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until done to your liking. Don’t overcook or the liver will go rubbery. Serve hot with the lemon wedges and flatbread.
Indian “Scotch Egg”
NARGISI KEBAB
INDIA
Last time I was in India, I stayed nearly three weeks, traveling to different cities once ruled by the Mughals. Throughout this time, friends or acquaintances would rave about nargisi kebab as being one of the great Mughal culinary achievements, except that it seemed to be an elusive dish. Even when I saw it on a menu, it would not be available. Finally, when I got to Delhi, I was introduced to Vir Sanghvi, India’s top food critic and a star journalist, and his delightful wife, Seema, by my great friends Bobby and Bipasha Gosh—Bobby is the editor in chief of the Hindustan Times and Bipasha is vice president of international marketing at NBCUniversal. Vir and Seema took me to Dum Pukht restaurant, and as Vir was ordering our meal, including a stupendous biryani, I lamented that I had not been able to taste nargisi kebab anywhere I’d been because it was never available. Vir, being totally wonderful, called chef Gulam Qureshi and explained to him my desperation at not having yet had the chance to try nargisi kebab, and he asked him if he could make us some. And he did! Finally, I was able to try the Mughal Indian dish that is at the origin of the Scotch egg, (a large meatball with a boiled egg inside it, rolled into breadcrumbs, fried and eaten at room temperature). I am so glad I did as, not surprisingly, it is far superior to the English version. You can serve nargisi kebab plain, which is how we had it at Dum Pukht, or you can serve it in a sauce for which I give a recipe below. If you want to serve it plain, just fry the kebab and serve.
SERVES 6
FOR THE NARGISI KEBABS
6 organic eggs
1 pound 5 ounces (600 g) boneless lean lamb shoulder or leg, cut into small pieces
1 small piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
1¼ teaspoons Garam Masala 2
1¼ teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
4 small green chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped
A handful of cilantro leaves
A few fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more to oil your hands
Sea salt
FOR THE CURRY SAUCE
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large onions (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), finely chopped
1 small piece ginger, peeled and finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
½ teaspoon Garam Masala 1
½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
6 medium tomatoes (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), processed to a fine puree (or an equal amount of canned peeled whole tomatoes)
12 cashews or 20 blanched almonds, soaked for 1 hour in hot water, then drained and processed until finely ground
Sea salt
TO FINISH
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped, for garnish
1. To make the kebabs: Put the eggs in a pan full of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Take off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then discard the hot water, let the eggs cool, and peel them.
2. Process the lamb in a food processor until finely ground. Add the ginger, garlic, spices, chilies, herbs, breadcrumbs, oil, and salt to taste and process until very finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and divide into 6 equal portions.
3. Put a little oil in a bowl, which you will use to oil your hands to shape the kebabs. Lightly oil your hands, then flatten one portion of the meat mixture into a medium-thin round that is large enough to wrap around a hard-boiled egg. Place the egg in the middle of the meat patty and wrap the meat around the egg. Smooth the seams and place on a plate. Make the other kebabs in the same way and refrigerate until it is time to fry them.