How did 'Galouti Kebab' get it's name?
One of the most famous dishes out of the Indian city of Lucknow, ‘Galouti Kebab’ has a very interesting story behind its name.
The word 'galouti' means "the thing that melts in the mouth" and that's what it does; galouti kebabs are so soft, they melt in the mouth.
There is, however, an interesting story behind the conception of this variant of "melt in the mouth meat".
The kebab was specially made for the ageing Nawab of Lucknow, Wajid Ali Shah. The Nawab had lost his set of teeth, but not his appetite for meat! At his behest, the royal kitchens came up with an ingenious way of preparing meat that was easy to go down the food pipe.
The cooks marinated finely ground meat, mixing it with unripe papaya and sprinkling a mix of exotic spices. They then fried the keema in oil/ghee. It is said that the original recipe contained a mix of over 100 exotic spices.
A serving of Galouti Kebab is now synonymous with a trip to the city of Lucknow, capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Setting foot in Lucknow and leaving without a serving of this tasty delicacy is akin to sacrilege. And consumers all have a Nawab with bad teeth to thank for this sumptuous dish!
As part of Ramadan special, SBS Hindi's Executive Producer Kumud Merani brings you this special recipe with Chef Parvesh Chauhan of Sydney based restaurant, Delhi 'O' Delhi!
Here's how you can enjoy this dish at home:
Ingredients:
- Lamb mince: 500 gms
- Salt: To taste
- Red chilli powder: 1tsp
- 1/2 cup Raw papaya paste
- 2 Tablespoon Finely chopped garlic
- 1 cup onions fried
- 3 Tablespoon cashew nuts/poppy seed paste
- 2 teaspoon Rose Water
- 1/2 Cup roasted gram flour
- 1/2 Cup ghee
- 1/2 gm saffron (soaked in water)
- 3 to 4 Pieces of Coal
To make Delhi ‘O’ Delhi potli masala
- Caraway seeds: 2 tsp
- Clove: 5 to 8 nos
- Mace flowers: 2 nos
- Black pepper corn: 10 to 12 nos
- Green cardamom: 8 to 10 nos
- Black cardamom: 3 to 4 nos
- Star anise: 2 nos
- Dried Rose petals :10 to 15 nos
- Nutmeg:1 no
- Kebab Chinni (cubeb in English):5 to 6 nos
- Fennel seed:2 tsp.
- Cinnamon:1 Inch
Method
- Grind all the spices to make Delhi ‘O’ Delhi potli masala to a fine powder
- Add the potli masala and all the ingredients in the mince and mixing evenly
- Make a well in the mince and put the heated coal in a small bowl adding 3 each cloves and cardamom and a teaspoon of ghee for the smoke to give it a smoky flavour by covering it with a transparent lid for at least 10 mins.
- Remove the lid and the bowl (be careful of the hot bowl) and keep the mince covered in the fridge for at least two hours
- Make medium sized patties
- Heat oil in a nonstick pan or a grill and cook them evenly turning both sides.
