We are two weeks away from Diwali! It’s my favourite festival to celebrate and even though the last couple of years have been a bit of a blur because of the pandemic, it’s still the highlight of the last quarter of any year (sorry for the business jargon. I wrote this in the middle of work calls). I’m going to keep this blog post super short but I do want to list some of my favourite things about Diwali! Here it goes:

• The onset of winter. Diwali automatically switches the entire season in Delhi to sweater weather and I am all for it. The slight nip in the air and the rush to sun dry and dry-clean clothes begin literally the day after.

• Full family time: It’s one of the only festivals that forces families together. Some of my best memories have been eating snacks and playing cards. Being a Baniya family, we don’t gamble. All the money is fake but the feeling of winning against that one aunt who has been torturing you about your weight or the lack of you talking to them all comes to a silent halt after beating her in a ferocious round of flash.

• All through school and college I used to wear kurtas. In school, I was literally called “kurta man,” but it would all pay off on Diwali when I would have so many options to pick from and most everyone looked great but always felt like they could have done better.

• Long weekends! Diwali and Dusshera also signal time slowing down in many ways. Long weekends make an aggressive appearance after the summer months where there are literally no time offs at all (this is when I miss school lol).

• Finally, food! Through the years I have used the festive season as an homage to my Amma’s (paternal grandmother) recipe. This is the first year that I bent the norm to create my own recipes. Now, of course, they are nowhere close to what she would make, the hope is that is looking from above and happy to see that if nothing else, I am keeping the tradition of keeping home-cooked recipes alive and well. These recipes are for you Amma. For us and all the future family members that will take them forward.

Until last month, I’d never had a homemade Shami kebab. I didn’t even know that dal plays such an important place in the recipe! I think it’s fair to say that for most of us, the Shami kebab is a last-minute frozen meal pick up to fill up our snacks quota for a party. And while there are many kebab options out there — most are either way too spicy or completely flavourless. Enter, the homemade Shami kebab! It’s custom made to your flavour preferences and most importantly, a very pain-free recipe once you have all the ingredients you need. I hope you do try this recipe and if you do, share pictures with me on Instagram! Happy cooking ♥️

Glimpses from the week

Ingredients

Whole Spices

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds

• 2 tsp whole black peppercorns

• 2-inch piece cinnamon stick, /broken into a couple of pieces/

• 1 small black cardamom

• 2 green cardamom pods, /seeds removed and pod discarded/

• 8 whole cloves

• 1 tsp toasted or regular cumin seeds

To Cook

• 680 g ground lamb (or the meat of your choice)

• 1 cup (195 g) chana dal (yellow split peas), /washed and soaked for at least 1 hour (up to overnight), then drained/

• 4 1/2 cups water for stovetop cooking

• 1 (~210-270 g) medium to large onion, /roughly chopped/

• 8-10 garlic cloves, /leave whole – will be crushed later/

• 1 1/2 inch (1 1/2 tbsp ) piece ginger, /minced or crushed/

• 1 tbsp red chilli powder

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp salt

To Chop

• 1 small onion, /coarsely chopped/

• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves

• 2 tbsp mint leaves

For mixing

• 1 egg, /whisked/

For pan-frying or baking

• Vegetable Oil

• 3 eggs

Method

1. Add all of the ingredients listed under ‘Whole Spices’ to a spice grinder and grind until a powder is formed. This will come to around 2 ½ tbsp ground spices. Set aside.

2. In a medium, lightweight Dutch oven or pot, add all of the ingredients listed under ‘To Cook’ along with the freshly ground spices and 4 1/2 cups of water. Mix well to combine. Cover to bring to a boil over high heat. Use a slotted spoon to skim off any scum that rises to the surface.

3. Place the lid ajar and continue to cook on high heat for 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the thickness of your pot), stirring occasionally, until the chana dal (yellow split peas) is completely cooked. During the last 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently to completely evaporate any moisture. The mixture will start sticking to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool. If you have the time, refrigerate overnight and they’ll be even easier to shape.

4. Combine the onion, green chilli pepper (optional. I chose not to add this), cilantro, and mint in the bowl of a food processor. Use the pulse setting to finely chop (but not blend) this mixture. Transfer to a large bowl.

5. Add the cooled chicken and lentil mixture to the food processor. In batches, process this mixture until as smooth as possible (~1 min). Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the chopped onion mixture. Mix well, then taste and add salt, if desired. Add the whisked egg and mix to combine.

6. Using oiled hands, shape ¼ cup heaped of the mixture into a flat, round patty about 2 3/4 inches in diameter. Continue with the rest of the mixture. You will have around 20 patties. If you wish to freeze them, do so at this point.

7. Place the egg in a shallow bowl so that you can dip the kebabs as you cook. Heat a large skillet, frying pan, or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

8. Dip both sides of each patty into the egg wash. Place 3-5 patties in the pan and allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, using a spatula to turn them over. Be careful not to crowd them too much or it will be harder to turn them. Reduce heat as necessary.

9. Remove from the pan, and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Repeat until you have finished pan-frying all the patties. Serve with mint chutney and some limes!