Shikampuri kebab

Step 1: Spoon 5 ½ oz thick plain yoghurt into a sieve lined with muslin or a clean cloth, set it over a bowl and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, until thick enough to hold a spoon upright.

Step 2: Put 1 ⅛ lb mutton or lamb mince, 2 ⅛ oz chana dal, 1 onion, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 dried red chillies, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods, 4 cloves, ½ tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp salt in a heavy pan with 1 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes, until the dal crushes easily between your fingers.

Step 3: Uncover and cook on a medium heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring, until every drop of liquid has gone and the mince is browned and cooked through with no pink. Pick out the cinnamon stick. Common mistake: leaving the mixture wet; damp kebabs crack and fall apart when they are fried.

Step 4: Cool for 10 minutes, then grind in a food processor with 1 egg, ½ tsp garam masala, 3 tbsp mint leaves and 3 tbsp coriander leaves to a smooth, sticky paste.

Step 5: Mix the hung yoghurt with 1 red onion, 1 green chilli and 1 tbsp mint leaves.

Step 6: With oiled hands, flatten a lime-sized ball of paste in your palm, put 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle, close the paste around it and press into a patty 1.5 cm thick. Make 12 and chill for 15 minutes so they firm up.

Step 7: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat and fry the kebabs in batches for 3–4 minutes on each side, until deep brown and crisp and piping hot right through (160°F in the centre, as the binding egg is raw).

Step 8: Serve straight away with 1 lemon and 1 cup onion rings.