Madhur Jaffrey’s Baked Lamb Shami Kebabs Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 18, 2024 • 3 min read
Shami kebabs are a popular evening snack in the Indian subcontinent, combining finely minced meat with delicate spices. In Madhur Jaffrey’s version, the traditionally pan-fried round kebabs are baked and cut into squares.
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What Are Shami Kebabs?
Shami kebabs (also spelled shami kababs) are soft, spicy patties of finely ground meat found throughout Indian and Pakistani cuisine, featuring beef, lamb, or mutton combined with a variety of aromatic spices, nuts, and seeds. Some recipes for shami kebabs incorporate beaten eggs or soaked lentils as a binding agent, and vegetarian shami kebabs feature aloo (cooked potato) and paneer.
Kebabs are usually made one of two ways: shaping minced lamb into hamburger-like patties and then sautéing them in a frying pan, or molding the meat around a skewer and cooking it in a tandoor. Here, Madhur bypasses those steps and presses the meat into a sheet pan before letting it marinate so that it’s infused with spices—cumin, garam masala, and cayenne pepper among them. Once they’re cooked, cut the kebabs into squares and serve them with cocktails or as part of a meal, alongside green chutney and cucumber raita.
Madhur Jaffrey’s Baked Lamb Shami Kebabs Recipe
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
2 hr 6 mincook time
51 minIngredients
- 1
Submerge the onion rings in a bowl of ice water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve, for 1–5 hours.
- 2
In a separate bowl, combine the chopped onion, green chilies, mint, and lemon juice. Season with salt, and stir to combine. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- 3
Heat a small skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Toast the almonds until they are golden brown, shaking the pan or stirring occasionally, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer the toasted almonds to a plate or bowl, and let them cool.
- 4
Return the pan to medium heat, and toast the poppy seeds until they turn a shade darker, 1–2 minutes. Transfer the poppy seeds to a small bowl, and let them cool.
- 5
Using a clean coffee grinder or spice grinder, grind the almonds until they are a Fine powder, and empty the powder into a large bowl. Repeat with the poppy seeds, and add the powder to the almond powder. Add the lamb, cumin, garam masala, cayenne, yogurt, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the reserved onion-mint mixture. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine all of the ingredients together, kneading the mixture into a ball.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 7
Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with the butter. Transfer the meat to the center of the dish, then flatten it so that it reaches the edges. Pat it into an even layer with your fingers.
- 8
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, remove the dish and carefully drain off any liquid that has accumulated. Return the dish to the oven. Turn the oven to the broil setting, and grill until the top of the patty is crispy, about 1 minute.
- 9
Take the onion slices out of the refrigerator, drain them, and place them on a clean kitchen towel. Gather the edges of the towel together and twist to drain any excess water from the onions.
- 10
To serve, slice the lamb patty into 1-inch squares and arrange them on a platter or plate, then top with the chilled onions and the reserved sprigs of mint.
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