Demystifying Wenger's Shami Kebabs!!!!

If you are someone who has lived or has extensively travelled to Delhi (India) then you must have heard of Delhi’s famous bakery Wenger’s in Connaught Place (CP). And if you are a non vegetarian then you must have heard and most definitely tried its Shami Kebabs. 

They are bliss!!! And it’s an understatement. 

Being a hard core Delhi brat (and foodies) both me and my husband have missed this delight a lot (thanks to COVID travel restrictions we are away from Delhi). I feel bad for all the critique numerous shami kebabs on various restaurant's menus have had to go through because nothing comes close to Wenger’s. 

During this COVID time when everyone became a chef, I too gave it a shot. And as luck would have it I think I have demystified the kebab (to a large extent) and I can't wait to share this new found knowledge with all you lovely ladies.

List of Ingredients:

• 500gms leaned minced Lamb 

• 1 medium onion, finely sliced

• 1 tbsp ginger paste / fresh ginger, minced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• Chilli paste or powder, to taste

• 4 tbsp daal (puy lentils), washed and soaked

• 7 black cloves

• ½ tsp black peppercorns

• 1cm cinnamon stick

• 3 bay leaves

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• 4 green cardamom pods

• 1 egg white

• 2 tbsp gram flour, to bind

• 1 tbsp Olive oil

• Sea salt, to taste

Steps to follow:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft and brown.

2. Add minced lamb and fry till brown. (drain excess oil)

3. Add the daal, ginger, chilli, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Fry for a few minutes.

4. Add daal to the mixture and mix it.

5. Add water to cover three quarters of the lamb, bring it to the boil and then let it simmer for 30 - 35 minutes until lamb and daal are soft.  

6. Cook off express water. (Don't make it bone dry but should not have any moisture).

7. Let the mixture cool down and then blend it to powdery consistency.

8. Stir in the beaten egg white and roasted gram flour, until the entire mixture is smooth.

9. Refrigerate the mixture if it's too soft. Else make mid size patties (roughly 1cm thick)

10. In a non-stick pan, add olive oil and cook the patties on low heat until they are brown and crisp on the outside (flipping to cook both sides)

Best served hot with coriander chutney (dip) and onion rings. In my house most of the time we gobble the whole batch in one go but you can totally freeze it to be used later. They taste absolutely perfect. 

I hope to travel to Delhi soon and eat the original Wenger’s Shami Kebab but till then I am happy to have been able to demystify the Wenger's Shami Kebabs ;)