Seekh Kebab Roll
Pakistan's wrap snack: charcoal-grilled lamb seekh kebab pulled off the skewer, wrapped in a flaky paratha with onion, coriander and mint chutney.
Overview
Lamb mince (with enough fat for tenderness; 20%) combines with grated onion (squeezed dry), ginger, garlic, green chilli, fresh coriander, mint, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt and a small spoon of besan (chickpea flour, helps the mince cling to the skewer). Mixed vigorously for 3 minutes to develop the proteins. Rested for 1 hour. Shaped into long sausages on metal skewers (or wooden skewers soaked for 30 min). Grilled hard over charcoal (or under a screaming-hot grill) 8-10 minutes turning often, until charred and just-cooked. Pulled off the skewers onto warm parathas; rolled with sliced onion, fresh coriander, mint chutney; eaten by hand.
Ingredients
Seekh kebab
- 500 g lamb mince (20% fat - fattier is better than leaner)
- 1 onion (small, grated, squeezed BONE-DRY in a tea towel)
- 3 cm fresh ginger (grated)
- 5 garlic cloves (crushed to a paste)
- 2 green chillies (very finely chopped)
- 3 tablespoons fresh coriander (chopped fine)
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint (chopped fine)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chickpea flour (besan; helps the mince hold its shape on the skewer)
To assemble
- 4 paratha (large, or thin laffa-style flatbread, ready-made works; or use thin chapati / lavash)
- 1 red onion (small, sliced very thin and soaked in cold water 5 minutes, drained)
- 1 small bunch fresh coriander (leaves only)
- 6 tablespoons mint-coriander chutney (blitz 1 bunch coriander + 1 bunch mint + 2 green chillies + 1 garlic + juice of 1 lime + 1 teaspoon salt + 2 tablespoons yogurt)
- 2 lemons (cut into wedges)
- 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala (optional)
Equipment
- 8 metal skewers (or wooden skewers soaked in water 30 minutes)
- A grill (charcoal best) or a screaming-hot oven broiler
Method
Stage 1 - Mince mixture
- In a wide bowl, mix all the kebab ingredients with your hand.
- Knead vigorously for 3 minutes - the mince becomes sticky and elastic (essential for clinging to the skewer).
- Cover; refrigerate 1 hour minimum (lets the flavours integrate AND firms the mince).
Stage 2 - Shape
- Divide the mince into 8 portions.
- With wet hands, form each portion into a long sausage 12 cm long, 2 cm thick, around a skewer - press the mince firmly around the skewer so it adheres.
- Place on a tray; chill 15 minutes (helps the kebabs hold during grilling).
Stage 3 - Cook
- Charcoal (best): build a hot fire; grill skewers directly on the grate 8-10 minutes, turning 4 times, until charred on all sides.
- Grill (broiler): heat to maximum; place skewers on a foil-lined tray 5 cm from the heat; grill 4 minutes; turn; 4 more minutes; turn 2 more times until charred.
Stage 4 - Warm the paratha
- Heat each paratha briefly in a dry hot pan 30 seconds per side until soft and warm.
Stage 5 - Assemble
- Slide 2 kebabs off the skewer onto each warm paratha.
- Top with sliced red onion, fresh coriander leaves, 1 ½ tablespoons of mint chutney.
- Squeeze of lemon; pinch of chaat masala.
- Roll the paratha tightly around the kebabs; wrap the bottom in a small piece of foil or paper to hold.
Stage 6 - Serve
- Eat warm, by hand.
- Lemon wedges and extra chutney on the side.
Notes
- Fatty mince is essential: Lean mince gives a dry, crumbly kebab that falls off the skewer. 20% fat is right; if your butcher will grind lamb shoulder for you, that's ideal.
- Squeeze the onion dry: Grated onion holds a lot of water. If it goes into the mince wet, the mince won't cling to the skewer and the kebabs disintegrate over the heat.
- Knead 3 minutes: The meat needs to be worked until sticky-elastic. Insufficient kneading = crumbly kebabs.
Storage
- Best within 30 minutes of grilling.
- Raw shaped kebabs on skewers freeze 1 month; grill from frozen, adding 5 minutes.
- Cooked: refrigerate 2 days; reheat in a covered pan with a splash of water 4 minutes.
Recipes mentioned here
Lavash
The paper-thin flatbread of the Caucasus, on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014, and the bread that wraps every grilled meat from Yerevan to Baku. You make a dough from just three things (flour, water and salt) that is firmer than a pasta dough and smoother than a bread dough. Thirty minutes' rest under a damp cloth lets the gluten relax enough to roll. The dough divides into eight balls, each rolled paper-thin (you should be able to read newsprint through the sheet before it goes in the pan). Onto a heavy dry skillet over high heat for sixty to ninety seconds per side, just long enough to puff and blister. Stack the cooked sheets under a clean tea towel as you go so they stay pliable. Eaten the same day, torn around grilled meat, wrapped around kebabs, used as a plate, used as a napkin.
Mint Chutney
Mint chutney is the Indian restaurant staple for good reason. A bright green blend of fresh yoghurt, mint leaves, and aromatics creates a versatile condiment that soothes and refreshes. Unlike many chutneys that are cooked, this one is assembled fresh and chilled, maintaining the mint's vibrant character. Quick to prepare, it lasts several days refrigerated.
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