Galawati Kebab (Lamb Kebab) Recipe

Minced lamb kebab tenderized by raw Papaya edible by even toothless aging Nawabs

The Galawati Kebob was created for a Nawab in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh). The recipe remains a trade secret. ‘Galwati’ means ‘melt in your mouth’. The recipe was developed for aging Nawab who could not chew meat having lost the teeth. The actual recipe is supposed to have more than 100 aromatic spices. This is minced meat round patty cooked over griddle and served with Green Coriander Chutney. I will give you my recipe and the underlying reasons for the ingredients.

1. I will use ground lamb. It must be about 20% fat to make a juicy kebab. High fat also makes it responsive to tenderizers.

2. I will use the raw skin and flesh of Papaya as the tenderizer.

3. I will use a food processor to grind spices and mixtures at various stages.

1. Minced Lamb: 1 Pound

2. Raw Papaya flesh mashed: 2 Tablespoons

3. Salt: ¼ teaspoon

1. Ghee: 3 Tablespoons

2. Finely chopped Onions: 1½ Cup

3. Minced Garlic: ½ Tablespoons

4. Finely chopped ginger: ½ Tablespoon

5. Khoya Emulation

Ricotta Cheese: 1 Tablespoon

Dried Milk: 1 Tablespoon

6. Ground Cloves: ¼ teaspoon

7. Ground Cinnamon: ¼ teaspoon

8. Ground Cardamom: ¼ teaspoon

9. Cayenne ground: ½ teaspoon

10. Black pepper ground: ½ teaspoon

11. Kewra water: 1 teaspoon

12.  Rose petals: 10

12. Besan: 2 to 4  Tablespoons

Ghee as needed about ¼ Cup

Combine ground lamb, Papaya, and salt in the Food Processor. Pulse to pulverize.

Preheat oven to 200º F. Shut off heat. Marinate meat for about one hour. Turn on oven to 200º F. Shut off heat. Marinate for another hour.

1. Grind Onions, Garlic, and Ginger in food processor.

2. Heat Ghee in a pan. Add Onion Garlic Ginger paste. Sauté till moisture is gone and the paste is almost brown.

3. Mix Ricotta cheese and Dried milk. Add to Onion Garlic Ginger paste. Sauté till lightly brown. Shut off heat

4. Stir in cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cayenne, and black pepper.

5. Stir in Kewra, and rose petals.

6. Stir in marinated lamb including the papaya. Transfer food processor. Pulse to pulverize.

7. Sprinkle Besan over the mixture. Knead well into a soft dough. Add more Besan if needed.

8. Let mixture rest for 20 to 40 minutes minutes.

9. Knead again. Divide in to about 8 balls. Form the ball and press it into a round patty like a hamburger patty.

Heat a flat griddle or pan to medium heat. Do NOT cook on high heat. Fry patties on the griddles, till brown on both sides. It will take about 4 minutes each side.