This is a pan-fried, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth kebab made from yam (Jimikand) and finger millet (Ragi), infused with an aromatic Lucknowi spice blend.
This recipe yields 4-6 servings and needs a preparation time of one hour and has a cook time of 10 minutes. Chef Gautam Kumar is a celebrated culinary expert and hospitality consultant with 25 years of extensive experience in the food and beverage industry.
Ingredients
- Yam (Jimikand) 7.05 ounces
- Finger Millet Flour (Ragi) 3.52 ounces
- Split Chickpeas (Chana Dal) 1.06 ounces
- Clarified Butter (Desi Ghee): 40 ml (for the mix)
- Saffron Strands a couple of strands
- Salt to taste
- Yellow Chilli Powder ½ teaspoon
- Kashmiri (Red) Chili Powder ½ teaspoon
- Kewra Water 1 teaspoon (optional, for aroma)
For the Galouti Masala
- Black Peppercorns (Kali Mirchi) 1 tablespoon
- Nutmeg (Jaiphal) ½ Nutmeg (approximate size)
- Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi) 4 pods
- Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini) 2 inches
- Cloves (Laung) 1 tablespoon
- Cubeb Pepper (Kebab Chini) 1 tablespoon
- Green Cardamom Pods (Elaichi) 6 pods
- Mace (Javitri) 2 blades/flowers
- Black Cumin (Shahi Jeera) ½ tablespoon
- Stone Flower (Paththar ke Phool) 1 tablespoon
- Dried Rose Petals (Gulab Patti) 12 petals
For Smoking (Dhungar)
- Charcoal 3.52 ounces
- Cloves (Laung) 1 teaspoon
- Clarified Butter (Desi Ghee) ½ tablespoon
For Cooking the Kebab
- Clarified Butter (Desi Ghee) 2 tablespoons
Method
Preparation of Galouti Masala
- Roast the Spices: Place a dry pan over medium heat. Add the ingredients listed under Galouti Masala. Start with the heavier, denser spices (black peppercorns, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cubeb pepper) first and roast for a minute. Then, add the lighter, more delicate spices (nutmeg, green cardamom, mace, black cumin, stone flower, and rose petals).
- Grind and Sieve: Roast all spices until fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Allow them to cool completely. Grind the roasted spices into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mixer. For the finest texture, sieve the ground powder. Store any unused masala in an airtight container.
Making the Kebab Mixture
- Cook the Yam and Dal: Peel the yam and cut it into large cubes. Pressure cook or boil the yam and chana dal together with a pinch of salt and a small amount of turmeric powder until soft.
- Drain and Cool: Once cooked, strain the water completely and allow the yam and dal mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Grind: Once cool, grind the cooked yam and chana dal in a mixer/grinder to a smooth paste.
- Roast Finger Millet Flour: Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan and lightly roast the finger millet flour (Ragi) until it is aromatic (about 2-3 minutes). Set aside.
- Combine and mix with hand: In a large tray or bowl (traditionally a parat), combine the ground yam and dal mixture, the roasted finger millet flour, 1 tablespoon of the prepared Galouti Masala (the rest of the galouti mixture can be kept for later use), salt to taste, yellow chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, and the 40 ml of clarified butter.
- Add Flavoring: Soak the saffron strands in a small amount of lukewarm water for a few minutes until the color bleeds. Add the saffron water and kewra water to the mixture.
- Rub and knead. Rub the mixture thoroughly with your hands until it achieves the
Smoking the Kebab (Dhungar Method)
- Heat Charcoal: Heat the charcoal until it is red hot.
- Smoke: Create a small hollow in the center of the kebab mixture. Place a small metal bowl or a piece of aluminum foil in the hollow. Place the heated charcoal in the bowl/foil.
- Aromatize: Top the charcoal with the 1 teaspoon of cloves and immediately pour the 1/2 tablespoon of clarified butter over it. The mixture will begin to smoke immediately.
- Cover: Immediately cover the kebab mixture with a lid to trap all the smoke. This process will infuse the characteristic smoky flavor (Dhungar) into the kebab.
- Finish: After about five minutes, remove the lid and carefully discard the charcoal and cloves. Knead the mixture once more by hand.
Cooking the Kebab
- Form Patties: Divide the mixture and form small, 1.5-inch patties (Tikki) of the kebab mixture.
- Pan-Fry: Heat 1 tablespoon of clarified butter in a thick-bottomed frying pan or griddle over medium heat.
- Cook: Place the kebabs in the pan, leaving space between them. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning carefully, until they are golden brown and heated through. Add more ghee as needed.
- Serve: Serve the Jimikand aur Ragi Galouti Kebab hot with mint chutney and thinly sliced onions.
