This recipe for Easy Oven Baked Seekh Kebab is a staple in my house. I usually have a batch of these and my tamarind dipping sauce in my freezer. The Kebabs are amazing paired with some hyderabadi khatti daal, a plate full of delicious dhaba style maash daal, or any of the vegetable options from the blog.
My kids favorite meal or snack is pictured below; paratha, kebab, tamarind sauce and some onions on the side. Once the kebabs and dipping sauce are in your freezer your meal is ready in no time!
The History
Seekh Kebabs first originated as Shish Kebabs and were made of assorted types of meat hunted by Turkish Soldiers. According to procaffenation.com these soldiers, when sheltering in the forest, would place the meat on a skewer and roast it on an open fire.
The word "Shish" means sword in Turkish and the word "Kebab" means roast, Hence "Shish Kebab". Thus, "Seekh" literally means Skewer and "Kebab" refers to something made of ground meat.
As these Turkish traders came to the Indian subcontinent they brought with them this recipe which gained instant popularity. These original Shish Kebabs led to the current variation known as Seekh Kebab. These are very popular in Pakistan and are usually made with ground beef, mutton or chicken mixed with spices.
My Story
Kebabs come in many varieties and are a staple in most Pakistani Households. They're eaten in a variety of ways, each one as delicious as the next. One favorite is to eat them with Naan, Chutney and a small side salad called kachumber. Another is wrapped in a Paratha to make a Kebab Roll. Yet another is to put them in a Bun to make a Bun Kebab.
Pakistanis also love to eat meat! The idea of a meal without some form of meat on the table is unimaginable. However, cooking meat takes considerable time, especially our authentic Pakistani curries.
Having some Kebabs in the freezer allows for us to have our meat and take an occasional break from cooking and when needed. Make a quick lentil or vegetable and defrost some Kebab and you have a sumptuous meal.
Pakistani culture also embraces the extended family and at any given point in time someone can unexpectedly drop in for a visit. It's often customary to invite them to stay and join you for a meal in that instance. Having Kebabs in your freezer is the most useful thing at that point in time!
The Recipe
There are many different types of Kebabs in Pakistani cuisine. But in my honest opinion, these are the easiest and healthiest of the lot. For that reason, these are the ones I make most often!
My recipe is one that is simple because I believe in ease and convenience above all (or else you won't want to make it) and can be prepped ahead of time and frozen, with only the final 10 minutes of cooking being done at the time of serving.
This makes it great recipe for a dinner you're hosting or a quick weeknight option for when you have little time to cook.
The one key thing to remember here is to use 80% lean meat as you need that 20% of fat to help bind the ingredients and keep the kebabs moist.
The second important part is to let the mixture sit for at least half an hour so the marination process is complete.
The rest is simple! Put the ingredients in a food processor and blend, mix with the ground beef, marinate, shape the kebabs and bake! That simple!
Easy Oven Baked Seekh Kebab
Ingredients
- 4.5 lbs Ground Beef 80% Lean
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 10 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Inch Piece Ginger
- 2 Large Bunches Cilantro
- 5 Green Chillies
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Red Chilies
- 2 tsp Garam Masala optional
Instructions
- Grind all the fresh ingredients in a food processor and then mix them with the dry spices and beef.
- Let the mixture marinate for at least half an hour in the fridge.
- To insure that the seasoning is to your personal taste take a ½ teaspoon of the mince mixture and cook it in the microwave for 30 seconds. This will allow you to taste it and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Shape the Kebabs and par bake these in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
- There are 3 easy options for your last stage of cooking :a. Grill, for about 5-10 minutes to complete the cooking processb. Pan Fry in a little oil for 5 minutes on each sidec. Air Fry on 350 degrees for 10 minutes flipping them halfway through
Perfect juicy and flavorful kebabs! I make a 5 pound batch once a month and freeze. Excellent in paratha rolls with green chutney 😋