Shami kebab
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 Shami kebab on a bed of cucumbers, served with pasta | |
| Place of origin | India |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Lucknow, Awadh[1][2][3] |
| Associated cuisine | Indian |
| Main ingredients | Meat or fish and spices |
| Variations | Many variations exist |
| Vary kcal | |
Shami kabab or shaami kabab is a local variety of kebab, originating from Lucknow,[1][2][3] in the Awadh region of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a popular dish in modern-day Indian cuisine.[4] It is composed of a small patty of minced meat, generally lamb or mutton, but occasionally beef. A chicken version exists as well), with ground chickpeas, egg to hold it together, and spices. Shami kebab is eaten as a snack or an appetizer, and is served to guests especially in the regions of Bihar, Deccan, Punjab, Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.
They are often garnished with lemon juice and served with sliced raw onions as a side salad, and may be eaten with chutney made from mint or coriander.[5] They are also served along with sheer khurma during the celebrations of the Islamic festival of Eid.
Origin[edit]
Shami Kebabs originate in Lucknow in the Awadh region of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.[3][1][2] The oral tradition suggests that a Nawab of Lucknow, who was chronically overweight from his overindulgence, ended up losing all his teeth. In order to keep enjoying his chef’s culinary delights, the Nawab challenged the chef to come up with a flavoursome dish that could be eaten even by the toothless. This gave rise to the shami kebab. This oral tradition is a myth.[1][2][3]
Preparation[edit]
Shami kababs are boiled or sauteed meat (lamb or mutton) and chickpeas (chana daal), with whole hot spices (garam masala, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves), whole ginger, whole garlic and some salt to taste until completely tender. Onions, turmeric, chili powder, egg, chopped green coriander, chopped green chillies and chopped mint leaves may be added in preparing kebab. Garam masala powder (ground spices) may be used in place of whole hot spices.[6]
The cooked meat is then ground in such a way that it is fibrous and does not become a paste. It is then shaped into diamond or round patties and is shallow fried. The Kashmiri variation uses a proportion of 3 parts mutton to 1 part lentils (chana) and is cooked and then ground to a paste consistency before frying the patties to a brown outer crust while keeping the inner soft.
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Shami kebab ready for frying
Serving[edit]
Shami kebabs may be served with roti along with ketchup, hot sauce, Schezwan sauce, chilli garlic sauce, raita or chutney. Before serving the kebabs, it is also common to dip them in a beaten egg mixture and double-fry them. They are also commonly eaten in Hyderabad with cooked rice or chapati.
Etymology[edit]
There are several etymological explanations behind the shami kebab. One explanation is that the name of the dish derives from the word shaam, which means "dinner" and "night" in Persian. It also means evening in Urdu and Hindi. The name may also derive from the scent of an itr called shamama.[7] The name shami kebab may also refer to Bilad al-Sham, the modern Syria, as many cooks from that region migrated to the wealthy Mughal Empire of South Asia during the Middle Ages.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Stein, Rick (7 June 2013). Rick Stein's India. Ebury Publishing. p. 228. ISBN 9781448141067. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020.
One of the people helping me with this book, Roopa Gulati, introduced me to the Amaya restaurant in Knightsbridge, and there I discovered the pleasures of shami kebabs. I was also introduced to the story behind kebabs like them: that the dish was invented by a hishly skilled chef for a toothless Nawab of Lucknow. The Nawab was so fat from overindulgence that he couldn't get on a horse, and his teeth were all gone, presumably for the same reason. So a kebab was made so fine that it required no teeth to eat it.
- ^ a b c d Usmani, Sumayya. "The history of the shami kebab". The Herald. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
The city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh was once the heart of the Mughal command in India, hence the food of the region is rich in regal recipes. Many of the recipes were meat based and this style of Nawabi cooking was all about layers of infused spice, slow cooking and meat on the bone. Shami kebabs are a firm favourite there, but the fact that they are made with blended meat and spices is a little incongruous to the meat-on-the-bone diet. The story goes that these were invented by a chef to a Nawab (nobleman) who had lost all his teeth due to his general overindulgence. In order to keep enjoying his chef's food, the Nawab asked the chef to create something that meant he could eat meat without having to chew. This gave rise to the shami kebab. That is the myth, but making them is an exercise of patience.
- ^ a b c d "The History of the Shami Kebab and the Toothless Nawab". International Magazine Kreol. 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 23 April 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
Originating in the Uttar Pradesh city of Lucknow, once the heart of the Mughal command in India, these tasty kebabs are said to have been invented by a chef to a great Nawab (ruling nobleman). The Nawab, having lost all of his teeth due to his general overindulgence, but not wanting to miss out on his chef's culinary delights, challenged the chef to come up with a flavoursome dish that could be eaten even by the toothless. And so, as legend tells us, the Shami kebab was born.
- ^ "Shami kebab | Traditional Ground Meat Dish From Lucknow | TasteAtlas". www.tasteatlas.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ Stein, Rick. "Sami Kebabs". BBC. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Petrina Verma Sarkar (10 December 2014). "Shami Kabab". About.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Shami kebab without frills". The Tribune. 3 December 2006. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
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