Recipe of the week: Romy Gill’s skewered lamb kebabs

While in Srinagar, I ate sheekh kebab at a few places, says Romy Gill – it is a popular appetiser and I am a huge fan. This recipe has a perfect balance of flavours and is super easy to make at home.

Serves 3-4 people

Ingredients

• 1kg minced (ground) lamb (ideally leg meat)
• 2-3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1½ tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of dried mint
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 tsp of saffron strands
• 1 tsp of black cardamom seeds, crushed to a powder in a pestle and mortar
• ½ a tsp of black cumin seeds, crushed to a powder in a pestle and mortar
• handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

To serve:

• sliced shallots
• lime wedges
• chutney of your choice (optional)

Method

• Combine all the ingredients, except the egg, in a large mixing bowl. Mix together, kneading as you would a dough, until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 
• Remove from the refrigerator, then place the mixture in a food processor. Add the egg and blend to a paste.
• Divide the mixture into 6 equal-sized portions. Wet your hands with cold water and mould each portion around a skewer, gently pressing and shaping each into a long sausage. Damp your hands again and smooth the surface of each kebab.
• Meanwhile, prepare a barbecue or preheat the oven grill to high.
• Cook the skewers on the hot barbecue or under the grill for 8-10 minutes, turning them after 5 minutes and rotating them frequently until well browned and cooked on all sides.
• Serve scattered with coriander and sliced shallots, with lime wedges for squeezing and a chutney of your choice, if you like.

Taken from On the Himalayan Trail: Recipes and Stories from Kashmir to Ladakh by Romy Gill, published by Hardie Grant at £27. Photography by Matt Russell. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £21.99, call 020-3176 3835.