Puksand Kebab

A luxurious historical Parsi kebab dish featuring tender cubes of lamb that undergo a unique double-marination process for maximum flavor. First infused with a zesty blend of fresh onion and ginger juice, saffron, and aromatic spices, the meat is then coated in a rich, decadent batter of thickened milk, hung curd, and ground almonds before being topped with grated cheese. Grilled to golden perfection, these kebabs offer a complex interplay of savory, nutty, and aromatic flavors that represent the height of colonial-era Parsi cuisine.

Ingredients

1/2 pound Lamb or mutton, lean and tender (Cut into small bite-sized cubes. Originally '0.5 Ratal'.)
1 cup Plain yogurt (to make hung curd) (Originally '0.5 Seer' (approx 1 lb) of hard curd, drained. Use enough yogurt to yield ~1/2 cup thick hung curd.)
1/2 cup Almonds (Blanched and ground very fine. Originally '0.25 Seer' (approx 4 oz).)
1 medium Onion (For juice extraction. Originally '0.25 Seer' (approx 4 oz).)
3 ounces Fresh ginger (For juice extraction. Originally '0.25 Seer' (approx 4 oz).)
1 cup Cheddar cheese or firm English cheese (Grated. Originally '0.25 Seer' (approx 4 oz) 'Velati Panir' (English cheese).)
1 tablespoon Coriander seeds (Roasted and ground. Originally '2 Tolas' (approx 22g), reduced for modern palate.)
1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste. Originally '2 Tolas' (approx 22g), which is extremely salty by modern standards.)
1 teaspoon Black pepper (Ground. Originally '1 Tola' (approx 11g), reduced for modern palate.)
1/4 teaspoon Saffron threads (Roasted and ground. Originally '3 Val' (approx 1g).)
12 pods Green cardamom pods (Seeds removed and crushed finely.)
12 whole Cloves (Crushed finely.)
4 teaspoons Lemon juice
1 cup Whole milk (To be boiled down to thick consistency. Originally '1 Pasher' (approx 1/2 cup) reduced milk.)
2 tablespoons Ghee (For basting. Estimated quantity.)

Instructions

1Begin by preparing the components: Crush the cardamom seeds and cloves into a fine powder. Blanch, peel, and grind the almonds into a very fine paste. Roast the coriander seeds and grind them finely. Lightly roast the saffron and crush it. Hang the yogurt in a muslin cloth to drain all water, creating thick hung curd. Boil the milk in a small pan until it reduces significantly and becomes thick like condensed milk (Dudhpak consistency).
2Clean the meat and cut it into small, bite-sized cubes. Wipe them dry with a damp cloth. Peel the onion and ginger and extract their juice (you can grate them and squeeze through a cloth). In a non-reactive bowl (stone or glass), combine the onion-ginger juice with the salt, ground black pepper, saffron, ground coriander, and lemon juice. Add the meat pieces to this mixture and rub well (kharmoti) to coat. Let the meat marinate for 1 hour.
3In a bowl, mix the reduced thickened milk with the hung curd, ground almond paste, ground cardamom, and ground cloves until well combined into a thick batter.
4Remove the meat pieces from the first marinade. Coat each piece thoroughly with the almond-milk-curd mixture. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the coated meat pieces. Thread the meat onto clean iron skewers (or bamboo skewers soaked in water).
5Preheat a grill or broiler to medium-high heat. Brush the skewered meat with ghee. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally and basting with more ghee if needed, until the meat is cooked through and the coating is golden brown and slightly charred (approximately 15-20 minutes).