These Chicken Kababs are everything a kabab should be — smoky on the outside, juicy at the centre, and bursting with layered spice in every bite. Whether grilled on a barbecue, baked in an oven, or cooked on a tawa, our Nati Kabab Masala delivers the complex spice profile of a restaurant tandoor at home. The masala carries roasted cumin, ajwain, and dried fenugreek that give kababs their distinctive charred, herbaceous character.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Mince
Squeeze excess moisture from the chopped onion in a muslin cloth or pressing between paper towels — this is crucial to prevent kababs from breaking. In a large bowl, combine chicken mince with all ingredients. Mix with your hands for 5 full minutes until the mixture becomes smooth, sticky, and holds together.
- 2
Chill the Mixture
Cover the kabab mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling firms the mixture, makes shaping much easier, and allows the spices to meld into the meat.
- 3
Shape the Kababs
Wet your hands with cold water to prevent sticking. Take a golf-ball sized portion and wrap it around a flat metal skewer, pressing firmly. Shape into a 10–12 cm cylinder, about 3 cm thick. Alternatively, shape into oval patties for pan frying without skewers.
- 4
Grill or Pan-Fry
On a grill: brush grates with oil, cook on high heat for 12–15 minutes, turning every 3–4 minutes and basting with oil until charred and cooked through. On a tawa: heat 2 tbsp oil on medium-high, cook kababs for 4–5 minutes per side, pressing gently for contact.
- 5
Smoke (Optional — For Restaurant Flavour)
For authentic tandoor smokiness: place a small piece of charcoal directly on the flame until it glows red. Place a small steel bowl in the centre of the cooked kababs, put the hot coal in the bowl, drizzle a few drops of ghee over the coal, and immediately cover tightly for 3 minutes. Remove and serve.
Pro Tips
- Squeezing water out of the onion is the single most important step — wet mince = kababs that fall apart.
- Roasted besan acts as a binder; roast it dry in a pan for 2 minutes before adding.
- Chilling the mixture is non-negotiable for kababs that hold their shape on the skewer.
- Keep hands wet while shaping to prevent the mince from sticking.
- The coal smoking trick transforms home-cooked kababs into something truly special.