Galawati (literally, so soft that it melts) Kabab were introduced in the erstwhile Awadh state. The recipe was invented keeping a toothless Nawab (some traditions mention it was Asaf-ud-Daulah) in mind. The idea was to prepare a kabab which is so soft from inside that it just melts in the mouth and doesn’t require any chewing. Where there is a ‘gastronomical’ will there’s an Awadhi cook’s way!
THE RECIPE
Ingrediants:
For the paste
1/2 kg low fat minced mutton (rookha qeema)
1 small papaya seeded and cut into 3-4 small pieces (do not remove the skin)
1 medium onion cut into four pieces
1 inch ginger piece
2 cloves of garlic
Salt as per taste
1 tsp Kewra water (Panadanas extract)
3 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (gives better colour) or as per taste
1 tbsp roasted chickpea flour (besan)
1/2 tsp of ground mace (javitri, optional for flavour)
1/2 tsp of ground cardamom (optional for flavour)
1 tbsp of cream (optional, a replacement of animal fat)
1 finely chopped green chilly
handful of finely chopped green coriander
Procedure:
Make a fine paste by putting all the ingredients (first set above) in a blender. Transfer it into a wide bowl with a lid. Let it marinate for one hour. Now place an onion peel (or a small metal bowl) in the centre and put a single red hot charcoal piece on it. Add 1 tsp of desi ghee over the coal. Cover the lid immediately. Let it smoke for 10 minutes. Discard the onion cup and the coal.
Now add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Grease your palm (a happy stomach will give better money ideas eventually) and make small patties. Take a nonstick pan and pour some ghee so as to cover the entire base. Fry the patties on medium heat, turn them once. Keep adding little ghee on the sides as required.
Courtesy: Jahan-e-Awadh