Gosht Aur Chana Dal ke Kebab (Meat Kebabs)

If you go to my parents house in Mangalore and open their freezer door, there is a 99% chance of you finding a box of these kebabs in there. My mom always keeps a batch of these ready in the freezer for unexpected guests or those sudden hunger pangs in the evening. These are melt in your mouth delicious and every guest who has ever eaten them will vouch for them. When I asked my mom for the recipe she was not able to give me any quantities as she never cooks by measurements (what is it with these mothers and guesstimates??). Anyways, I made them over the weekend and with a few changes I think I got the quantities right. These can be made either with Mutton or Beef but I prefer the beef ones. You can whip a batch and freeze them on a tray. Once they are frozen, remove and place in a plastic freezer bag to save space. They hardly take any time to thaw and make a great sandwich on bread with ketchup!

Recipe

Ingredients - Makes 18 Kebabs

1/2 Kg Boneless Beef or Mutton Pieces
4 Whole Red Chilies
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tsp Garam Masala
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds (Zeera)
1 Cup Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)
1 Egg
1 Cup Onion (Finely Chopped)
1/2 Cup Mint Leaves (Chopped)
1/2 Cup Coriander Leaves (Chopped)
Salt To Taste

Place the meat, red chilies, garlic, garam masala, cumin powder and salt in a big pot with a little bit of water. Cook on medium heat till the meat is tender and evaporate any remaining water. Alternatively you can cook the meat in a pressure cooker. Boil the chana dal separately in very little water till soft. Once it is soft, keep stirring till all the water is evaporated and it is completely dry. Cool the meat and chana dal, then grind them with the egg in a food processor. Remove in a big bowl and add the chopped onion, chopped coriander, chopped mint and green chilies. Mix well. Oil your hands slightly to prevent it from sticking and form 18 small balls the size of a lemon. Flatten each ball in the palm of your hand to get a smooth round patty. Shallow fry on low heat in very little oil till the outside is slightly crisp. Serve hot with ketchup.

Happy Eating!!