Shikampuri Kabab

Shikampuri Kabab...the first time I ate it I was sooooooooo amazed as to how the yogurt got in the middle of the meat. This is true Hyderabadi dish cause I never heard of let alone eat it before we moved to Hyderabad. I am pretty sure it will also be made in Lucknow yet another city in India which has high Muslim population.
                            Shikampuri means "belly full" so technically this is a Shami Kabab which has its belly full with Yogurt and its amazing. So here it is for your palatable pleasure from my kitchen.

Shikampuri Shami Kabab (Pan fried meat patty stuffed with spicy yogurt)

Shikampuri Shami Kabab

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb boneless lamb trimmed of fat
2. 1/2 cup chana dal
3. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, chilly powder, turmeric, coriander powder, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala
4. Oil for shallow frying

Yogurt Stuffing:

1. 1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
2. 1/3 cup finely chopped red onions
3. 1 green chilly finely chopped
4. 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped mint, cilantro
5. 1/4-1/3 teaspoon salt



Shikampuri Kabab Filling

Squeeze as much water as possible from the yogurt i.e put it in 2-3 kitchen towels and put it in a sieve and put some weight on it so that water gets squeezed. Mix all the other ingredients of the yogurt stuffing to it with a light hand and set aside.

Soak the Chana dal in water for 15-20 minutes. In a pressure cooker add all the ingredients for the shami except oil and cook for 2 whistles with just a tablespoon of water. Let it cool and coarse grind. Divide this meat mixture into 9 parts and take each part into your hand. Divide the yogurt mixture into 9 parts and place one part into the center of the meat patty and close.

Heat a griddle and place a patty on it and drizzle oil on the edges. Fry till you get a nice dark crust. Serve as is as a snack or with white rice and khatti dal or with bagara khana