Inception - Galavat Ke Kebab

This is my very first Blog on food. It's not that i always wanted to be a Chef or a Food writer or both, but i have been cooking since my childhood and now, at 33, i cook almost everything and everyday. I know i am a late starter, as far as writing goes, but people like Vir Sanghvi truly inspired me to come out and start writing. Not because Vir Sanghvi is a positive influence but because he has been talking nonsense about Awadhi (Lucknowi) food, specially 'BIRYANI'. I want to tell him that Gosht Biryani was never a part of Nawab's main menu but was and is very popular for the informal meals. Later i will explain the difference between Biryani and Pulao (Pilaf).

However to begin with i would like to share the recipe of Galavati Kebab. The reason to share this recipe is simply because i have seen a 100 odd recipes of it and hardly found any close to the real one. This recipe is Authentic and Old Awadhi style and i promise you that if you follow the recipe and make these Galavati Kebabs then for the rest of your life you will have a problem with all the restaurants that claim to cook Authentic Kebabs. There is a little secret about this kebab that i will reveal later.
So here we go...


Mince meat - 1 kg

Masala ‘A’
Raw Papaya - 50 gms.
Ginger paste - 25 gms.
Garlic paste - 25 gms.
Red chilli Powder - 1-2 tsp

Masala ‘B’
Cloves - 5
Green Cardamon - 5
Black Cardamon - 2 (optional)
Mace - 1 Blade
Black pepper - 1 tsp
All Spice - 1 tsp


Salt To taste
Onion - 2 nos.
Roasted Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 tbsp
Curd - 50 gms (Hanged)
Kewra Water - 1 tbsp
Lazzat-e-taam - 1 tsp
Ghee - 150 gms.
Sweet (meetha) ltra - 2 drops

Wash the mince carefully with running water in a sieve or muslin cloth and keep aside in the starrier,  to allow the water to drip off.
Apply Masala ‘A’ and rub well with the palm of the hands, so it permeates every grain of the mince. Keep aside for 20-30 minutes. In the mean time grind Masala 'B' and keep aside.
Finley Slice the onions and fry in ghee till golden brown, grind with the hanged curd. Now with the mincemeat mix together Masala 'B', the onion paste, gram flour, lazzat-e-taam, kewra water and the sweet itra. Place in a Lagan and apply Dhungar . Divide into 30 portions and shape into round patties. Place a Mahi Tawa or a thick tawa or a non-stick tawa on the fire. Pour two table spoons of ghee, put the kabab mixture in it and fry both sides on a slow flame till they are cooked to a golden brown colour. Remove from the griddle and serve hot with onion rings, green chutney and lemon, along with warqui parathas or roomali roti.

TOP TIPS

1. The mince has to be really lean with about 5% fat. 
2. Use hands to mix the mince 
3.  Use Fresh Ginger and Garlic

As i promised earlier, time to reveal the secret. Galavati Kebabs are more or less like "Pardah Nashin Kebabs", which were very famous in Laucknow. You might get them at "Nawabi Kothis" but hardly in restaurants. Another interesting fact is that Tundey Kebabi also used the same ingredients as given above but, since he was a one-armed chef, instead of making patties he used to throw small portions of kebabs in the Mahi Tawa. This technique made him famous all over India.