Chicken Seekh Kebab

Step 1

Mince the onion until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice — about the size of pencil-tip dots — and place it in a small bowl.

Step 2

Cut a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger and peel off the papery skin using a small knife or vegetable peeler.

Step 3

Place the peeled ginger on a cutting board and mince it very finely until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, then place in a separate small bowl.

Step 4

Peel 2 garlic cloves and place them on a cutting board, then mince them until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice.

Step 5

Hold 1 small green chili and slice it lengthwise from stem to tip, then use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds and white membrane inside.

Step 6

Place the seeded chili on the cutting board and mince it very finely until the pieces are the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 7

Gather a bunch of fresh cilantro leaves (discard the thick lower stems), place them on the cutting board, and chop them very finely until they look like small green flakes.

Step 8

Place 500 grams of ground chicken into a medium mixing bowl and break it into very small pieces using your fingers, removing any lumps or gristle.

Step 9

Add the minced onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, and cilantro to the ground chicken bowl.

Step 10

Pour 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder, 0.5 teaspoon coriander powder, 0.5 teaspoon garam masala, and 0.25 teaspoon red chili powder into the bowl.

Step 11

Pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into the bowl and add a pinch of salt.

Step 12

Using your clean hand, squeeze and mix everything together for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and starts to hold together — it should feel like wet clay.

Step 13

Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and place each one on a cutting board.

Step 14

Take the first portion and wrap it tightly around a metal skewer, pressing firmly so it adheres, molding it into a log about 5 inches long and 1 inch thick.

Step 15

Repeat Step 14 with the remaining 3 portions, placing each finished skewer on a plate as you complete it.

Step 16

Place a grill grate or grill basket on a grill or stovetop grill pan set to medium-high heat and wait 3–4 minutes until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately when you flick it onto the grate.

Step 17

Carefully place all 4 kebab skewers on the hot grate, spacing them about 2 inches apart so they do not touch.

Step 18

Grill without moving the kebabs for 3–4 minutes until the bottom surface turns dark brown and charred-looking, with bits that look almost black.

Step 19

Using tongs, carefully roll each kebab one quarter turn to expose a new side to the heat.

Step 20

Grill for another 3–4 minutes until this second side also turns dark brown and charred, then repeat the rolling process two more times, grilling 3–4 minutes between each turn.

Step 21

Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of one kebab; it should read 75°C (165°F) inside. If it reads lower, continue grilling and checking every 1–2 minutes.

Step 22

Remove the skewers from the heat using tongs and place them on a clean plate to rest for 2 minutes before serving.