Lounge
Unraveling the ancient origins of kabab
Summary
A new book on spices titled, Masala Mandi, explores the rich history of kebabs, tracing their origins back to the dawn of cooking itself
In the historical record Ain-i-Akbari, kabab is categorized as part of a broader class of foods that involves cooking meat with various accompaniments. In a discussion, food historian and author Salma Hussain introduced the concept of Kunduazizi, a kabab that dates far beyond the Mughal era, almost reaching antiquity. The recipe for this ancient dish involves using fowl as the primary meat, which is then marinated in citrus fruit, seasoned with crushed black pepper and then cooked using a traditional spit grilling technique. If we flip through K.T. Achaya’s work, we would find that the roasting of meat is not a new thing for the Indian subcontinent. According to him, roasting pieces of meat on spits over an open fire has been described in various Sanskrit works of literature as well. He also writes about shula and bhadritakas, dishes which can also be termed kababs.
But how do you define a kabab or paint a picture for people who have never heard of kababs? There are a few ways, one being to straightforwardly tell them that it is simply grilled meat that they may or may not add spices and other ingredients, to enhance the flavour. In fact, the essence of kababs can be traced back to the very origins of cooking itself. The practice of grilling meat began soon after humans first tamed fire. Physical evidence indicates that the earliest methods of cooking involved heating food on hot stones. As culinary techniques evolved, around 30,000 years ago, humans in central Europe developed ‘earth ovens’ that were essentially pits lined with stones and filled with hot coals and ashes. Food, presumably wrapped in leaves to retain moisture and flavour, was placed atop the ashes, and then covered with earth to roast slowly. This method allowed tough meats, like those from mammoths, to cook slowly, breaking down the collagen in connective tissues into gelatin, rendering the meat tender and more digestible. Such slow cooking techniques are the precursors to today’s barbecue methods, where meats are seasoned and cooked slowly to enhance flavour and tenderness. Kababs, at their core, embody this ancient art of slow-cooking meat, a culinary practice that dates back to the dawn of human civilization.
Bihari Shami Kabab
Ingredients
1 kg mutton, boneless
10 tbsp split Bengal gram, husked
16 green cardamom
8 black cardamom
8 1-inch cinnamon sticks
2 tsp red Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp dried ginger powder
8–12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 tsp salt, or adjust to taste
2 tsp green chillies, finely chopped
4 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
4 tsp ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp nigella seeds
2 tsp turmeric powder
Ghee/oil for deep frying
4 tsp chaat masala powder
4 onions, large, sliced
Method
- Wash, trim and drain the meat. Cut it into large chunks.
- In a large pan, combine the meat, chana dal, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon sticks, red Kashmiri chilli powder, dried ginger powder, garlic and salt.
- Add just enough water to cover the ingredients. Cook on low heat until the water evaporates and the meat is tender.
- Remove the pan from heat and let it cool.
- Discard the whole spices.
- Grind the mixture in a food processor until it becomes a fine paste. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Lightly grease your hands. Divide the kabab mix into equal portions. Roll each portion into balls and flatten them slightly to form round patties.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. Shallow-fry the kababs on medium heat until they are golden brown on both sides.
- Arrange the kababs on a serving platter. Serve hot with onion slices and chutney.
Edited excerpt from the book ‘Masalamandi’ by Sadaf Hussain with permission from Penguin India.
