Nargisi Kebab

Nargisi Kebab is a Mughlai dish, popular in North India, especially Uttar Pradesh. Mughals brought kebabs to India with them. Kayasthas being closely associated with the Mughals, adopted and refined many Mughal dishes, Nargisi kebab being one of them. Nargisi kebab, consists of ground meat mixture wrapped around a hard-boiled egg.

The name Nargisi Kabab comes from the resemblance to the flower narcissus, Nargis in Urdu. The flower has a yellow centre (the colour of cooked egg yolk) surrounded by white petals resembling the cooked egg white. When a Nargisi kebab is cut in four halves, it resembles the Nargis.

Nargisi kebab is a family delicacy. My mother used to cook Nargisi kebabs for us frequently.

(Serves 3 person)

Ingredients:

1. Mutton keema (mince) - 250 gm

2. Channa dal (split chickpeas) - 1/2 bowl

3. Raw egg - 1

4. Onion (medium sized) - 1

5. Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves

6. Ginger - 1/2 inch

7. Boiled egg - 3

8. Whole garam masala: 1/2 tsp zeera ( cumin seeds), 3-4 cloves, 5-6 black pepper, small piece of cinnamon, 2-3 black cardamom, 5-6 dry whole red chilli

9. 1/2 tsp chilli powder

10. 1/4 tsp garam masala powder

11. Chopped coriander leaves and 2 green chillies

12. Salt to taste

13. Oil for frying

Method:

1. Take a pressure cooker. Put keema, onion, garlic, ginger, whole garam masala and salt.

2. Close the pressure cooker with lid and place it on high flame.

3. Turn the gas off after 3 whistles. Wait until the pressure subsides.

4. Open the lid. If there is some water in it, put the cooker back on the flame.

5. When the keema mixture dries, keep it aside for cooling.

6. After keema mixture is cooled, transfer it to the wet grinder.

7. Grind it and make a paste. Transfer this keema paste in a bowl.

8. Add chopped coriander, chilli, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and one raw egg (optional) to the keema paste. Mix it well.

9. Make 3 portions out of this keema.

10. Now take some water or oil and spread it on you palm.

11. Take one portion of keema on your palm. Spread it evenly.

12. Place one boiled egg. Cover this egg from all the sides with this keema. Roll it properly between your palm and place it in a plate.

13. Make all three eggs in the same way.

14. Now cover these balls with foil and keep it in fridge for some time.

15. Now take a pan and add some oil for frying.

16. When oil is sufficiently hot, add the kebab in it one by one.

17. Keep the flame medium. Don’t touch them until it turns golden brown from one side. Now turn it softly and fry it well.

18. Now take out these kebabs from the pan and put it on a tissue paper.

19. After 5 min, cut the kebab into 2 pieces. This will looks like an eye. Because of that, it’s called Nargisi kebab.

20. Place these Nargisi kebabs on a serving dish. Garnish it with sliced onion and serve it with green chutney. Enjoy these delicious kebabs with your favourite drink!

Nutritional facts:

Calories: 610 kcal

Fats: 36.9 gm

Carbs: 50 gm

Protein: 18.9 gm