Lamb Shami Kebab (Using Keema)

Shami Kebab or Shami Kabab are pan- fried minced meat (mutton, lamb or beef) patties popular in the indian subcontinent. This indian kebab recipe is made by boiling & grinding together meat with chana dal (bengal gram lentils), whole spices, onion, ginger and garlic. These meat patties have beautiful texture- they soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Shami kebabs are freezer friendly and hence awesome for meal prep! Serve them with green chutney, sliced onions or cucumbers & fresh lemon juice.

Growing up, shami kebab parceled inside parathas with sliced onions & green chutney used to be a favorite road trip meal. These kabab taste great at room temperature and hence they travel really well.

I would lie if I told you that our freezer used to be stashed with frozen shami kebab. I learnt about their freezer friendliness much later in life. Infact, tikka and kebab weren't made that often, I remember them as a special treat.

All I remember is that when kebabs were made, the cooked minced meat and lentil mixture was ground to fine on sil batta (rectangular stone grinder popular in india). The texture of those shami kebab was something else and really cannot be replicated using food processors.

This recipe tastes very close to how I grew up eating them even though I use lamb mince. In fact I don't know what took me so long to share it because I make shami kebab quite often (husband's favorite!)

Shami Kebab

Shami kebab are a popular dish in the indian subcontinent. There are many myths related to its origin. As per one of them, shami kebabs with their smooth and melt in the mouth texture were invented during the mughal era for a toothless nobleman.

Shami kebabs are usually made with mutton meat in India. They are a laborious task with solid four to five steps involved before you can sit down to enjoy them. However, trust me when I tell you that they are very well worth it.

Many recipes (especially pakistani shami kebab recipes) use chunks of meat(mutton or beef boti), however in my home these were always prepared with keema (minced meat) and I do the same.

The key ingredient other than meat is chana dal or split bengal gram lentils. Lentils provide a binding to meat as well as add to that glorious satisfying taste.The whole spices bring in ton of flavor.

You could serve shami kebabs as an appetizer or snack or side dish.

About My Recipe

• I do not get mutton here in States so I use minced lamb. I use high fat ground lamb meat (80/20). You could use beef as well.
• I stick to adding whole spices. Some recipes call for grinding the spices before cooking with meat & lentils however in my opinion that changes the taste of the shami kebabs.
• To make sure that there are no whole chunks of spices like black peppercorns or cloves, I use my mom's trick. She coarsely pounds them with ginger & garlic before adding. The bits become soft when the meat cooks and are no trouble at all.
• No ground spices.
• My recipe calls for golden raisins. You could skip if you wish. However that sweet bite scattered here and there in the kebab mixture really makes them extra delicious.
• I don't use eggs in my recipe. I never saw eggs being used for binding or for dipping before pan frying the kebab.
• I use stove top pressure cooker to cook the spiced meat and lentils, however you could do the same in instant pot.

Difference Between Shami kebab and Seekh Kebab

Here is my seekh kebab recipe. There are quite a few difference between these two kinds of kebabs in terms of cooking method as well as the texture of kebab itself. Most of the ingredients are common except the use of lentils in shami kebab.

Seekh kebab are made with a spiced raw minced meat mixture that is skewered on metal rods and cooked over direct heat. These kebabs have a chewy, charred smoky taste.

Shami kebabs are made with a cooked meat and lentils mixture. They are shallow or pan fried, soft and have a crispy crust.

Ingredients

• Minced Meat- Use keema with high fat content. I use 80/20 ground lamb, I would not go below 85/15 lamb. You could use ground beef, goat keema or mutton keema as well. If you purchase keema from a butcher, ask him to add animal fat (suet) while grinding (about 50g for each 500g of meat).

Note - To use meat boti (chunks) and chicken, read later in the post.

• Chana Dal- Bengal Gram Lentils. Chana dal is easily available in south asian grocery stores. If you cannot find chana dal or want to make shami kebab without chana dal, use split yellow peas lentils (matar dal).
• Whole Spices - dried kashmiri red chillies (or red chilli flakes), cumin seeds, mace, black cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, black peppercorns, cloves. Skip any spices you do not have.
• Other Ingredients - red onion, ginger, garlic, green herbs (fresh cilantro & mint leaves), green chilies, golden raisins(optional)

How To Make Shami Kebab (Step Photos)

Preparation

• Set out the ground meat from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes prior to cooking.
• Wash the lentils 2-3 times under running water. Cover with water and soak for maximum of 20-25 minutes.
• Peel onions, roughly chop them. Peel ginger and garlic and chop roughly.
• Add black peppercorns and cloves to a mortar and pestle. Add 2-3 garlic cloves and pound. Make sure that each black peppercorn and clove is broken. Both these spices are a nuisance and usually remain whole even after cooking.
• Finely chop onion, ginger, green chilli to be added to the ground kebab mixture.
• Soak the raisins( if using) in hot water for 8-10 minutes. Squeeze and keep ready.

Cook Meat & Lentils

• Add the lamb mince to pressure cooker. Or steel insert of IP.
• Add the drained soaked lentils along with all the whole spices. Also add the onions, ginger, garlic along with the pounded spices. Sprinkle the salt. Add 1 cup water.
• Using a wooden spoon, break the meat and mix together everything as much as you can.
• Close the lid of pressure cooker. At first keep the stove on medium, once you hear the first whistle, reduce the flame to low and let pressure cook for 20 minutes on low medium heat for 6-8 whistles. For IP, set it on high pressure and pressure cook for 10-12 minutes. Release pressure naturally.

Grind the Kebab Mix

• Check the meat and lentils for doneness. The lentils will hold shape but they would be completely soft and you would be able to mush them between thumb and fingers. (see image 7).
• There should be no water at the bottom of the pressure cooker. If you see water, cook off the excess water by placing the pressure cooker on the stove (without closing the lid). If you used Instant pot for boiling and notice that the mixture is watery, then put the IP on sauté mode. Let the water dry out.
• Let the mixture cool down a bit (but don't let get cold).
• Pick out the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and black cardamom pods. Discard
• Transfer the contents to a food processor jar fitted with metal blade.
• Process the meat for good 2-4 minutes until it resembles a smooth paste.
• Using a spatula, transfer the ground kebab mixture to a large bowl.

Prepare Shami Kebab Mixture

• Add finely chopped onions, ginger, herbs etc along with raisins to the ground kebab mixture.
• Using spatula at first, mix everything together. Taste and adjust salt. Taste and add more finely chopped green chillies if you want it more spicy.
• With gentle hands, knead the kebab mixture similar to how we knead a dough. Dont squish else the onions and herbs will start releasing water.
• Refrigerate and rest the kebab mixture for 30-40 minutes. Take a break! If you want, you can refrigerate overnight for best flavors and ease of shaping.

Shape the Kebab

• Divide the kebab mixture into portions. You could make them as large or small as you wish. I make them small(about 40-50g). For uniformity, measure out and weigh the portions using a food scale.
• If needed, very lightly oil your hands. Take each portion and roll into a smooth ball. Flatten lightly on the palm to resemble a patty. Dont press too much. Also, don't make thin patties (else they will break).

Pan Fry Shami Kebab

• To pan fry, preferably use a heavy pan (tawa/griddle used for making rotis or a cast iron tawa). You could use non-stick frying pan too. 
• Place the pan on low medium heat and let heat up.

Tip- The temperature of pan plays a role in making sure that the shami kebab dont break. The tawa should not be too hot or too cold. To check the temperature of the pan, sprinkle some water on it, the water should steam immediately (the water should not sizzle or dance on the pan, that means that the pan is too hot).

• Once the tawa is hot, add 2-3 drops of oil on the tawa and rub around. Dont add too much oil in the beginning else the kebabs start spreading.
• Place a few kebabs on the hot pan (without over crowding) keeping in mind that you have ample space around to flip them later without touching other kebabs.
• On medium heat, let the shami kebab fry. You have to allow a golden brown crust to form but the inside should remain soft. Once the kebab looks set, you may add 1-2 drops of oil all around it.
• Using a flat large spatula (preferably wide metal) carefully flip the kebab and fry on other side until crust is formed. Right now the kebab is super soft, you will have to be extra careful.
• Once the kebabs are fried on both sides, switch off the stove and let the kebabs stand on it for 4-5 minutes. Remove using a spatula.
• Serve with green chutney, onion slices, and lemon juice.

How To Make Chicken Shami Kabab

• You may use the same recipe with chicken.Use a combination of chicken thighs & chicken breast. If you see bit of fat on the chicken thighs, dont remove it, it will add a lot of flavor to the shami kebabs. I like to pulse the chicken in a food processor to small pieces and then cook as usual.
• Use 1 cup chana dal. Chicken meat needs extra binding because it is low in fat.
• Rest of the recipe remains the same.

Recipe Tips

1. Don't use cold meat or frozen meat. Frozen meat makes the kebab mixture too watery, definitely avoid.
2. Keep in mind to not mix the kebab mixture as soon as you open the lid of the pressure cooker. The meat and lentils are very soft right now and they will get mushy.
3. If after pressure cooking you notice water at the bottom, cook off the moisture by placing the cooker on a low stove. Again keep an eye and don't mix the mixture. This also prevents the kebab mixture from getting wet.
4. Use a flat pan/tawa to pan fry the kebabs. I avoid skillets because the edges make it difficult to flip the kebabs.
5. When I have to pan fry a large quantity of shami kebab, I do so simultaneously on 2 pans. To give you an idea, on my 10 inch roti tawa, I place not more than 6-7 kebab at a time.

Shaping Tips

• Dry Kebab Mixture - If your kebab mixture is dryish and you feel that it needs extra moisture, add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Dont add too much in the beginning. A lot of these things are a matter of feel and I cannot write an exact amount, however adding less is always a good idea. This will help you to bring the mixture together and shape them.
• Wet Kebab Mixture - The main reason is the mixture was wet after cooking. Try sautéing for a longer time to dry up the cooked meat & lentil mixture. If your mixture is wet after grinding, add 1-2 tablespoon of roasted besan(gram flour).Don't add too much else the besan taste will overpower. The last resort is to add bread crumbs, I am not fond of it, however we got to do what we can to save the mixture, right?

Storage

Shami kebab mixture stays good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You could shape the kebab and store in an airtight container(great for meal prep)

Freezing Shami Kebab

Line a large cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper (dont use aluminum foil). Shape the shami kebabs. Layer them in a single layer on the wax paper. Cover with a plastic cling film and set in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the kebabs are frozen, remove and store them in large ziploc bag for 1-2 months.

To cook frozen shami kebab, take them out 45 minutes to 1 hour before pan frying. Dont let thaw completely, they will break. Pan fry as outlined above or in recipe card.

Serving Suggestions

• Appetizer or Snack - Serve with green chutney, yogurt, sliced onion, lemon wedges.
• Side dish- I love to serve these as a side dish with yakhni pulao or egg pulao.
• Make Wraps- Using parathas or any flatbread of choice , pickled onions, chaat masala.
• Make kebab burgers or sliders- Add them in between toasted buns with lettuce, tomatoes, green chutney and a sprinkle of chaat masala. Yum!