Masalaydaar Chicken Kababs

Once upon a time making Kababs used to seem like a seriously challenging and time consuming cooking ordeal to me until the day I finally decided to give it a try. Sure, they take effort and time but they are so worth it, especially the recipe I'm sharing today - a classic, juicy, flavorful chicken kabab for our senses to savor. A mix of classic Desi spices make these chicken mince kababs taste out of this world. You cannot stop after just one, I promise you that. I usually eat a couple by the time I'm finished frying them and I'm not to be blamed ... it just happens, I swear! I'm innocent.

There. I rest my case. This picture pretty much does it, right? Is it just me or does the juiciness of that kabab leave you weak at the knees as well? That picture definitely speaks louder than my words in this blog post do. You can see the moistness inside, the onions and cilantro and specks of that delicious spices' mix. Mmmm mmm ... I lost my train of thoughts right there for a second. Hang on, let me pull myself back together. *Shakes her head* Yep, right, so. These kababs are not at all difficult to make and taste perfect when done. You will not be disappointed! One of the great things about them is that you can change the level of spice according to your preferences or mood and then enjoy the deliciousness! Just marinate, shape, and fry and you're done. These are honestly just the best!

Ingredients:

• Chicken Mince - 1/2 kg
• Marinade:
• Garlic - 4 cloves chopped finely
• Cilantro - generous quantity chopped finely
• Coriander Powder (Pissa Dhanya) - 1 tsp.
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp.
• Crushed Red Chili Flakes - 3 tsp. or according to taste
• Ginger - 2 tsp. chopped finely
• Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp.
• Salt - According to taste
• Egg - 1 egg whisked
• Onions - 1/4 large chopped finely
• Oil - for shallow frying

Method:

Spread the mince out in a large dish and begin adding all of the marination ingredients on top of it. Try to spread the spices over the mince as evenly as possible. Spreading it all over from the start ensures even mixing and a good delicious marination.

Spices, spices, spices! One after the other, scattered all over the mince.

Using a fork mix the spices into the mince very well until well combined. Next add the beaten eggs.

Mix, mix, and mix everything together. Make sure every little bit is completely mixed into the mince.

Then spread out the chopped onions over the mince in an even layer. Do not mix! I repeat, do not mix the onions in until you begin shaping the kababs. Let me tell you why it is so important to not mix the onions in. This one was a handy tip from my mama. She told me onions, if mixed together with the mince, will leave water while you leave the mixture to marinate. If that happens you'll have a hard time making sure your kababs stay formed and don't disintegrate. So if you want nice looking kababs that hold their beautiful shape and don't break on you, just don't mix in the onions.

Once you lay out the onions over the mince leave the mixture for marination for at least half an hour. I've even left it for an hour and it all works well. If you're in an absolute rush you can cut down the marinating time to fifteen minutes - but again, I'd say at least half an hour should do the trick! After the marination is done you're almost ready to move onto the frying part of this recipe. Now, only mix in the onions of a small portion of the mince (see the picture above and notice how I've only mixed the onions on one side of my dish). We'll be mixing them in as we begin frying the kababs so that they keep their shape and bind together well.

Before you begin frying the entire batch it is time to check and make sure the spices and salt are all perfect! So take a little bit of the mixture, shape it, and shallow fry it on medium high heat until golden brown. Take the tester kabab out onto an absorbent tissue/kitchen towel paper and once it cools down a bit taste and adjust salt and spice levels as per your preference. Once you're sure you have it perfect and just as you want it, mix everything together very well (including the onions too now!) and get ready to get frying! Here's something fun for you all, whenever I make kababs I always shape the first one as a heart and Abbie and I share it for taste checking. It's this little 'Bestie Tradition' we have and we do the same when I bake sugar cookies.

Shape the kababs and add them to medium hot oil for frying. I wanted to show the size of my kababs so I had this picture taken. They're a perfect middle size which works well in my family. Of course, you can change the size according to preference. This recipe is super chill and works with everything! Here's a helpful tip for you: If you very slightly wet your palms with water the kababs will shape up like a breeze and won't stick to your hands. I always keep a little bowl full of water when I shape my kababs for this reason - works like a charm!

Fry the kababs until they become white-ish on one side and then flip them over to let the other side cook. Flip again and cook until both sides are evenly golden brown. Once fried, take the kababs out onto an absorbent tissue/dish towel paper to soak up the excess oil before devouring serving.

Oh my, look at them! Deliciousness! Mmmm mmmmmmmmmm!

These Masalaydaar Chicken Kababs can be eaten however you like; with rice, with parathas, with roti and raita (sauce), or just on their own! They even freeze well for about two weeks (just thaw and heat well) and are my favorites during Ramadan too. They're soft and juicy and oh so delicious!

Okay. I am drooling!

Delicious, bursting with flavor Masalaydaar Chicken Kababs are ready to woo your senses!