Kachay Keeme ke Kebab

Soft, aromatic, spicy, tangy, and downright delicious! Kachay keeme ke kebab, or keema tikki, is a childhood favorite for me and most people I know. They are also known as Galawati kabab in some homes. The difference in name, however, doesn’t affect the mouthwatering goodness and the nostalgic childhood memories this recipe evokes!

My grandmother used to make these delicious keema kabab in the monsoon months. I remember watching her keenly from the veranda, as my siblings and I would wait anxiously for her to fry the kebabs. We would then pounce on them, and eat them hot off the tawa, a broad, flat, cast-iron pan.

The appetizing aroma wafting from the kitchen as my grandmother would fry these kebabs has become a core memory for me! Whenever I think of these kebabs, I can smell them too!

Here are some more kebab recipes that you may like Shami kebab, Dum ka keema, keema karahi

About Kachay Keeme ke Kebab

If ever there was a dish thoroughly enjoyed by the royals, these galawat ke kebabs have to be it! These keema tikkis are known to be soft and very tender. It is said that there was a royal nawab of the Mughal era who loved kebabs of all types. But as he got older, he lost all his teeth. Being toothless he couldn’t eat his favorite food which made him very sad.

The recipe for these exquisitely tender kebabs was developed to appease the toothless nawab. They were made tender and soft so he could devour them without any effort. What a story!

Today, these kebabs are made across homes in Indian & Pakistan, and they are hot favorites! The original recipe had a very long list of ingredients, but the way my grandmother made them was quick and easy. And that’s exactly how I like my cooking!

The Secret Ingredients

I’m going to let you in on a secret! There are a couple of ingredients in these kebabs that ensure they come out soft, juicy, and tender every time!

• Papaya Paste: is made by simply peeling, deseeding, and then grinding the pulp of a papaya. You can easily freeze it after its ground, and store it in the freezer for months. Any time you need to add it to a recipe such as these kebabs, simply thaw and add it to the mixture.
• Gram flour/Baisan: is another key ingredient for this recipe. Because the kebab mixture is very soft and can easily break apart while handling or cooking, it requires a binding agent. The gram flour acts as the binding agent for these kebabs.

Reasons to love this recipe

I mean, I don’t even know a single person who DOESN’T love this recipe! It’s a delicious homemade treasure that can be enjoyed as a main course or a side dish. It’s also a favorite street food throughout Pakistan.

Here are some reasons you will love these kebabs:

Easy-to-Follow Recipe: It’s a pretty straightforward method that even a novice can make without any hiccups. It simply requires you to combine all the ingredients, let it rest, and fry. The fact that you don’t need to pre-treat the minced meat, or perform any steps beforehand, makes this recipe a winner!

Succulent and Scrumptious: Have I said this enough already? The result of this recipe is a delicious, succulent, and juicy kebab that is soft to the touch. You, your kids, your neighbors, your nosey relatives: everyone’s going to love this recipe!

Freezer-Friendly Recipe: You can batch-freeze these kebabs for a busy day. You could either cook them completely and then freeze them. Now, any time you want to devour these beauties, all you need to do is either reheat them in a frying pan with a little oil or pop them in the microwave for a few minutes. Your kebabs are ready!

Family Favorite Recipe: I know I say this often, but this recipe really IS a favorite in my house! Everyone loves them. If I were to leave them on the counter, they would disappear by the end of the day! And I’m sure, your family will come to love them too!

Versatile Recipe: These are not just kebabs, they are the basis for many other recipes. You can use these in burger buns, add some cheese, lettuce, and mayo and you have a delicious burger. Or, you can use these in sandwiches. You might need to use two, though; cut them in half and place them in between two slices of bread with some tomatoes, onions, cheese, and mayo. Mouthwatering stuff!

Ingredients

Now, let’s take a look at the ingredients you will need to make these delicious keema kebabs:

• Beef Mince: 500 grams. Beef is the meat of choice for these kebabs. You can achieve the most authentic and best flavor using beef. But, you can substitute it with lamb/mutton or chicken, according to your preference. Cooking time will reduce considerably in the case of chicken. For lamb or mutton, it will remain the same.
• Whole Red Chili 8 to 9: This recipe uses whole, dried-red chilis. They are then dry-roasted to give the maximum flavor and heat. You can use any type of dried chili you have, the small round button type, or the short, narrow bird’s eye chili.
• Fennel seeds: 1 1/2 teaspoon: Dry roasted fennel gives a delicious and unique aroma. It is particularly mouthwatering in these kebabs.
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: ¾ teaspoon. Cumin is a staple ingredient when it comes to any type of mincemeat. It complements the richness of the meat very well.
• Whole Coriander seeds: 1 1/2 tablespoons: This may seem like a lot, but the earthy flavor of the coriander seeds pairs well with all the other spices to add a delicious flavor.
• Basen/Gram flour: 1/2 cup. The gram flour is roasted and then added to the kebab mixture. This ensures that you don’t get a raw aftertaste, and it acts as a binding agent.
• Ginger and Papaya paste: The secret ingredient makes the meat juicy and tender and helps to reduce the cooking time. You can make this paste by grinding together 4 tablespoons of papaya pulp and 1 inch piece of ginger. For the best results, don’t skip these!
• Salt: To taste.
• Garam masala powder: 1 teaspoon. This helps to enhance the flavor and aroma of the kebabs.
• Chopped onion, green chilies, and coriander leaves: These are added for the color and as a garnish
• Oil: To fry the kebabs

If you are interested in some more minced meat recipes, don’t forget to try our: Kebab & Bbq recipes!

Instructions

Now, let’s get down to business! Here’s the recipe to make these delicious keema tikkis:

Part 1

• Start by preheating the small frying pan to roast all the whole spices one by one. Begin with the whole red chilis, add them to the hot pan and when their color changes and you can smell them, they are done roasting.

• Now add the fennel seeds. Be careful as they can burn very quickly. As soon as you can smell their aroma, remove them from the pan.
• Next, is the zeera/cumin seeds. Cumin can also burn quickly, so keep stirring.
• Next, roast the whole coriander seeds. The same rule applies, as soon as the color changes and you can smell its distinct aroma, it’s done.
• Roasting the spices should take you about 40 seconds each. Any more time and you could burn them.
• After the spices have cooled, grind them together and set aside.

Part 2

• After the spices are done, it’s time to dry roast the base or gram flour. You can add it to the same pan, and on a low flame, keep stirring the gram flour until it becomes golden brown. The purpose of roasting it is to eliminate the raw flavor of the gram flour.

Part 3:

• Now, in your large mixing bowl, add the minced beef.
• Add the prepared ginger and papaya paste to it.

• Add salt to taste. About 1 teaspoon should be enough.
• Now, using your hands, mix it well. Let it sit for 2-3 hours so the papaya paste can work its magic and tenderize the meat. You might feel that the minced meat is a bit sticky after it has rested, this is normal.

Part 4

• After the keema has rested for a couple of hours, it’s time to add the ground spice mixture we prepared earlier. Mix all the spices with the keema.

• Add the roasted gram flour to the keema.
• Add Garam masala powder and mix well.
• Finally, add the chopped onion, green chilies, and coriander leaves, and combine well.

• After mixing, let the minced meat sit for another hour so it absorbs all the flavors and spices.

Part 5

• Now that the minced meat or keema has rested, it’s time to fry our kebabs! give the keema another mix and if you feel it’s a bit dry, wet your hands and mix it again.

• Now preheat the pan and add 4 to 5 tablespoons of oil.
• Take small amounts of the minced meat and shape the portions into flat rounds. Try to keep the shape as flat as possible.

• Once you are done shaping the kebabs, place them one by one in your heated pan. Fry them, turning once or twice, until they turn a dark brown color.
• Press down on the kebabs while they cook. Fry them on a medium-low flame.
• Once all the kebabs are done, it’s time to dish out!

How to Serve

Time to serve these beauties, are you wondering what to serve with them? In Pakistan, they can be served as a side dish with mix vegetable curry or a simple daal & chaawal, (lentils and boiled rice) meal.

However, these kebabs are best paired with a mouthwatering, spicy, and tangy tamarind chutney, or a cooling and refreshing mint, cucumber, and yogurt dip. Add on a mixed fresh green salad, also called a kachumar salad, and you have a perfect snack.

You can serve a piping hot naan or homemade roti to go with the kebabs, dip, and salad. The naan or roti will convert it into a complete meal.

As mentioned before, when it comes to an Asian kitchen, these kebabs hold great versatility. In many homes, they are used as a burger patty or a sandwich filler. The options are endless, and finger-licking good!

Pro Tips

Although this recipe is a very easy one, there are some steps you can take to ensure that the kebabs you make are delicious and juicy every time.

1. Use Good Quality Minced Meat: Since the center stage in this recipe is the keema or minced meat, you must buy high-quality beef mince, containing a small amount of fat. You can use lean mince too, but the fat ensures a delectable flavor and moist kebabs.
2. Finely Ground Mince: When buying the minced meat, ensure that it is ground very finely, as this will reduce the cooking time, and contribute to the juiciness of the kebabs.
3. Freezing the Kebabs: If you want to freeze them, you can do so after you have shaped them. Place them on a parchment paper lined tray and freeze overnight. then separate them and store them in ziplock bags for about 2 months. You can also fry them and then freeze them. This way they are completely done, and you can reheat them when needed.

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