I am quite sure you have tasted tandoori seekh kebabs. It's quite a specialty of Pakistan.

Any outdoor occasion with out them is a waste.

My grandma always make them on Eid-ul- Azha and special gatherings but with a twist on making it on a heavy iron flat pan . My Mother, mother in law, aunts also make them with peas pilaf. This dish in only cooked for special occasions as the mince can't be stored ( the onions release there water which breaks binding of mutton), and once the kebabs are cooked they can't be reheated as they loose their flavour.

This is exactly my grandma's recipe. I only reduced the amount of ingredients as i was making for 1/2 kg mutton mince. she makes it in almost 2 kgs, 4 kgs .. etc

As I am recently married and like a traditional wife,I wanted to impress my husband and family with a dish which was hard to make but with some variations,

kebabs in 2 or 4 kg amount? not an easy task. specially if you are pregnant. but 1/2 kg? I think i can recreate that. so what else ? only 1/2 kg mince kebabs?

That was a question which always haunted my mind no matter what. Rice was a good option but kebabs are a dry dish. they needed some gravy to it too. ( again a family tradition). and off course the issue of reheating.

SO what if I make a dish out of fresh kebabs, which can be reheated or could use those few heat ruined left over kebabs too? bingo!!!!!

kebab handi came into existance. Handi means a dish cooked in Wok, an innovation to an old traditional Eid seekh kebab dish.

Believe me this dish broke the record of previously set seekh kebabs, as soon it got cooked, it finished within minutes. and the aroma? yummy.

I am sure that charcoal bought that BBQ flavour in my kebabs. ( again it was something completely my idea)

the recipe is now a favorite of my husband.

My mother in law also said that the kebab tastes same as hers and Khala's (my grandma's)

( my grandma is her blood relative too, Muslim marriages)

For people who don't have a tandoor, they can make the kebabs used in the dish on grill too. ( bbq). However for those who don't have access to bbq either, then this recipe is specially for you people.

I am presenting you with the family famous kebabs as well as my innovation.

Step 1: For Making Seekh Kebab ( Grandma Recipe)

( if you half this recipe it is recipe for 1 serving)

1/2 kg mutton mince

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp chili flakes

2 green chillies (use one if you have those very hot ones)

3 onions ( medium to large)

fresh handful coriander

1 and 1/2 inch ginger

3/4 tsp coriander seeds freshly roasted

3/4 tsp cumin freshly roasted

oil for shallow frying

a piece of coal or wood

if you don't know how to roasted coriander seeds or cumin , here is how to!

Place a pan on stove and add your coriander/cumin or both together.

Switch on the stove. Now keep stiring the spices until you can smell the aroma and slight change of colour. Once this change is visible remove from pan immediately as it might lead to burning.

spices keeps getting cooked while they are hot.

In a food processor or chopper, add all the above ingredients ( except mince) and chopped them.

now add your mince aswell and grind them a little more so that mince gets a little more shredded. this will help the kebabs to mantain it's shape.( don't over do your mince)

form balls and roll into ovals with pointed ends.

fry them up ( in less oil) making sure the inside is cooked and store in a hot pot.

fake BBQ. how to???

as you can see that i have inserted a round steel bowl inside the hot pot, it is to put charcoal in. if you don't have any steel bowl, plate or anything to place your coal on, simply use a cup shaped slice of onion for placing.

cook your coal on a stove flame. ( i will find a way for electric stove users too) untill it turns red ( coal) or blackens ( wood, shown in the pic too)

Add your warm coal on the steel bowl or onion slice.

pour your pre-frying hot oil on the coal and quickly cover your hotpot as soon as you see smoke. DON'T LET THAT SMOKE ESCAPE.

only open it once your handi ( curry is ready)

if you are not making handi then give it 5-7 minutes for the smoke flavour to seep into the kebabs.

Step 2: For Handi

Ingredients (for 1/2 kg mince mutton) NOTE ( although my husband said the gravy is still less)

3 large tomatoes

1 meduim onion

fresh coriander

2 green chilies ( if your kind is not very spicy)

3/4 ts salt

3/4 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp dry coriander roasted

1/2 tsp cumin roasted

oil 1/4 cup or more ( it depends on you)

slice your onions and tomatoes. ( again roast your coriander and cumin) grind your roasted coriander and cumin into powder form

In a wok heat oil till it gets hot and fry your onions to slightly brown them ( keep the colour between pink and brown)

add tomatoes, salt, chili flakes and coriander/cumin powder.

fry until you can't feel the raw taste of dry coriander. ( taste check is applied here, the reason of this step is because coriander seeds powder tends to stay a little raw and reduces the aroma and flavour of other spices).

Add splash of water to avoid burning of your curry.

cook untill the raw flavour of coriander vanishes, and oil comes on the surface

add in your warm kebabs ( there will be some juice too add it as well) garnish with fresh coriander and simmer ( covered) on low flame for 5 minutes or less.

your kebab handi is ready.