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Gola kebab
Charcoal-smoked beef mince kebabs
گولہ کباب (gola kebab): Karachi's melt-in-the-mouth beef mince kebabs smoked with charcoal
Gola kebabs are so soft that Karachi grill men have to pat the mince onto the skewer with a practised, quick hand, and they still slump as they cook; at Boat Basin and Burns Road at midnight you will see tray after tray of the plump, dark tubes waiting for customers. The softness comes from raw papaya, beef with plenty of fat, roasted gram flour and a very fine grind, and the flavour from browned onion, green chilli and a final smoking with a hot coal. They are eaten with paratha or puri, a pile of raw onion and green chutney. The mix will not stay on skewers if it is too wet, which is the usual frustration; chill it for at least an hour and use wet hands. Chef's tip: at home, shape the kebabs as fat fingers on a lined tray and cook them under a very hot grill; you lose nothing in taste.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the kebabs
- 1 ½ lb beef mince with about 20% fatminced twice if possible
- 1 tbsp raw green papaya paste
- 1 ⅜ oz fried onionscrushed
- 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)dry-roasted until nutty
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 3 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderfinely chopped
For smoking and basting
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small piece of lump charcoal
To serve
- 1 onion (optional)sliced into rings
- 4 tbsp green chutney (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 1 ½ lb beef mince with about 20% fat, 1 tbsp raw green papaya paste, 1 ⅜ oz fried onions, 2 tbsp gram flour (besan), 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 3 green chillies, 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp fresh coriander in a food processor and blend for 1–2 minutes into a smooth paste.
5 minStep 2: Cover and chill for 1–3 hours so it firms up (no longer, because of the papaya).
60 minStep 3: With wet hands, press portions of the mince around flat skewers or shape into 12 thick fingers on a lined baking tray.
5 minStep 4: Heat a charcoal grill until glowing, or an overhead grill to its highest setting.
2 minStep 5: Grill for 8–10 minutes, turning carefully and basting with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, until browned outside and cooked through, 160°F in the centre.
10 minStep 6: Put the kebabs in a pot. Heat 1 small piece of lump charcoal over a gas flame until glowing, set it in a small foil cup among the kebabs, drizzle over 1 tbsp vegetable oil and cover tightly for 3 minutes. Smoke in a well-ventilated kitchen and remove the coal before serving.
3 minStep 7: Serve hot with paratha, 1 onion and 4 tbsp green chutney.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gola kebab take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fried onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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