Sikh kebab

Ingredients:

Shashlik

• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2-4 green Thai chili peppers or 1-2 serrano peppers (depending on heat), stems removed
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro + extra for serving
• 4 cloves garlic, grated (about 1 tbsp)
• 2.5 cm ginger root, grated (2 tsp)
• 450 g of minced lamb or beef neck (20% fat)
• 2.5 tbsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground Kashmiri red pepper*
• 0.5 tsp cubeb pepper or allspice*
• 2 tablespoons cashew paste
• Breadcrumbs or toasted chickpea flour, as needed
• Neutral-flavored vegetable oil to grease the grill grate
• Fresh cilantro, for serving
• Yogurt Chutney with Cilantro, recipe below
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Pickled Red Pearl Onions, recipe below
• Special equipment: grill, 4-6 metal skewers (preferably straight), gauze

Yogurt Chutney with Cilantro

• 2 cups fresh cilantro (leaves and soft stems)
• 0.5 cup natural full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2-3 green Thai chilies or 1 serrano chili, coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)

Pickled red pearl onions

• 0.5 cup apple or rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 200 g red pearl onions, peeled

Preparation:

1. Place the onion, chili pepper, and cilantro in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Transfer the mixture to a folded piece of cheesecloth and add the garlic and ginger. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth and squeeze out all the liquid. This step is essential for a good kebab and makes it easier to thread the meat mixture onto the skewer.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, garam masala, ground chili pepper, cubeb pepper (if using), cashew paste (if using), and the squeezed onion mixture. Mix until smooth, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
   
   
   Cashew butter helps prevent meat from drying out on the grill, but can be omitted.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
4. Meanwhile, add 2 teaspoons of salt to the meat mixture and stir. Add the salt just before threading the meat onto the skewers.
5. Threading the minced meat onto the skewers is the only tricky part of this recipe. Using damp hands, form the meat into about sixteen 5cm balls. If the mixture is too wet and won't hold together, add a little breadcrumbs or chickpea flour. On a large work surface, roll the ball into a cylinder about 2.5cm thick and 8-10cm long. Thread the cylinders of meat onto metal skewers. Depending on the size of your skewers, you can fit 3-4 cylinders onto one. Don't worry if the kebabs aren't perfectly shaped.
6. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate. Place the kebabs on the grate, cover, and cook until grill marks appear, 3-4 minutes. Flip, close the lid, and cook until the meat is cooked through, another 3-4 minutes. The entire process should take no more than 6-8 minutes. If flare-ups occur, move the kebabs to another part of the grill and continue cooking.
7. Remove the kebabs from the skewers and place on a platter. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and drizzle with the cilantro yogurt chutney. Serve with lime wedges, the remaining chutney, and pickled red pearl onions (if using).
   
   Note *
   
   Kashmiri chili peppers have a pleasant, mildly spicy flavor and a bright red color. If you don't have them, use a mixture of equal parts cayenne pepper and paprika.
   
   Cubeb pepper looks like allspice and tastes like a mixture of allspice and black pepper. It gives kebabs a distinctive flavor, so we recommend seeking it out and not substituting it.
8. Yogurt Chutney with Cilantro:
   Yield: 1 tbsp.
   
   Combine the cilantro, yogurt, chili pepper, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, and 0.5 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce should have the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. If it's too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if needed.
9. Pickled red pearl onions:
   Yield: 1.5 cups
   
   Combine vinegar, sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 0.5 cups of water in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and simmer until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add the onion, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate, covered, for up to 4 days. Pickled onions can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month..