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Afghan Shami Kebab

Afghan Shami Kebab

By OcadoLife
Published on 17 June 2024
Introduce a little Afghan-British grilling to your barbecue with an Afghan Shami Kebab. This budget-friendly recipe was created by Mursal Saiq, co-founder of London’s Cue Point barbecue restaurant and an expert at cooking over fire. “Shami kebab is familiar across central Asia, yet each country, and tribe, has its own way of preparing it,” says Mursal. “Its unusually soft texture is down to the inclusion of potatoes and onions, making it different to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean shish kebabs.”
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Time and servings

50 minsTotal time
6Servings
20 minsPrep time
30 minsCooking time

Ingredients

  • 250g maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 1 white onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 500g lamb mince (we used 10% fat)
  • 5½ garlic cloves, crushed or grated
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
  • 25g coriander, stalks and leaves roughly chopped, few sprigs reserved
  • 2½ tsp salt
  • 2½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 45g white breadcrumbs
  • 120g gram flour
  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 cucumber, roughly chopped
  • 4 tomatoes (approx.), deseeded and chopped
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 generous pinch sumac
  • 1 generous pinch dried mint
  • 500g natural yoghurt
  • 6 wholemeal pittas (approx.), toasted (optional)

Method

  • Step 1

    Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 20 mins or until soft. Drain and leave to steam dry, then mash.

  • Step 2

    Meanwhile, fry the white onion in a pan in 1 tbsp oil over a high heat for 5 mins or until softened and golden. Add the mince and cook for 2 mins until browned but not cooked through. Stir in 5 of the crushed garlic cloves along with the chilli, paprika, rosemary, coriander and 2 tsp of salt and 2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper; leave to cool.

  • Step 3

    Put the cooled onion and mince in a food processor; whizz to a smooth paste.

  • Step 4

    Combine the eggs, breadcrumbs and flour in a bowl with ½ tsp of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper; mix well. Add the mince and mash; mix well to combine. Divide into 8-10 pieces and roll each into a sausage shape (they’ll be a little sticky). Set aside on a plate, cover and chill until needed.

  • Step 5

    Meanwhile, make the salad: in a bowl, combine the red onion, lime juice, lemon juice, cucumber, tomatoes, pinch of sea salt and sumac. In a separate bowl, stir the mint and remaining ½ crushed garlic clove into the yoghurt; season.

  • Step 6

    Put a cast-iron pan with the remaining 2 tbsp oil to heat on the barbecue over the coals (or brush the lamb with a little oil and grease the grill bars

  • Step 7

    Put the lamb in the pan (or on the bars); cook for 5-7 mins, turning regularly, until caramelised all over. Serve with the salad, yoghurt and pittas, if liked, with the reserved coriander sprigs scattered over.