Bihari Kabab Recipe

Ingredients

This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings.

Kababs:

• 1 1/4 pounds beef tenderloin, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick strips, about 1-1/2 X 6 inches
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 kiwi, peeled and quartered
• 1 1/2 tablespoons gram flour
• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 small serrano chile pepper
• 1/4 cup mustard oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/4 cup plain full-fat yogurt

Whole Spices:

• 1/2 whole nutmeg seed
• 1 tablespoon whole mace
• 5 star anise pods
• 5 whole dried red Kashmiri chilies

Ground Spices:

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Step 1: Pound tenderloin strips with a meat mallet until they are very thin; set aside.

Step 2: Heat avocado oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry onion in the hot oil until it turns deep brown, about 5 minutes. Strain browned onion into a small bowl using a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Step 3: Peel kiwi, cut into quarters, and set aside in a small bowl for later use.

Step 4: Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Toast the gram flour until it becomes lightly browned and nutty, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Step 5: Dry-roast the poppy seeds in the same skillet until lightly browned and aromatic, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

Step 6: In the same skillet, dry-roast the nutmeg, mace, star anise, and Kashmiri chilies together until fragrant, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the whole spices and chilies to a spice grinder, and grind them into a coarse powder.

Step 7: Add the browned onions, kiwi, ginger paste, garlic paste, and serrano chile to the bowl of a food processor. Grind everything to a paste, about 30 seconds.

Step 8: Pour in the mustard oil, white vinegar, and yogurt. Pulse the food processor until the mixture is well blended, about 15 seconds.

Step 9: Add the roasted poppy seeds, roasted gram flour, roasted ground whole spices, chili powder, cumin, garam masala, black pepper, and salt to the food processor. Process the marinade for 1 minute.

Step 10: Spoon the marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add the tenderized beef strips, seal the bag, and squeeze gently to coat the beef on all sides with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but ideally overnight.

Step 11: Remove the marinated beef from the refrigerator. Thread the beef strips onto sturdy metal skewers, packing them tightly. Reserve any leftover marinade to baste the kababs during cooking to prevent them from drying out.

Step 12: Preheat an outdoor grill to 500F (260C) and lightly oil the grate.

Step 13: Grill the kababs on the preheated grill, uncovered, for 5 minutes per side.

Step 14: Reduce the grill temperature to 350F (175C), cover the grill, and cook the kababs for an additional 10 minutes.

Step 15: Turn the kababs, brush with marinade, and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 170F (77C), about 10 minutes more. If the kababs look dry at any point during the cooking process, brush both sides with a little avocado oil.

Step 16: Remove the skewers from the grill and transfer to a serving dish. Discard any uncooked marinade.

Serve the kababs with naan, sliced red onions, tamarind chutney, and green chutney. Enjoy!

Cook's Notes:

• For best results, use mustard oil, either by itself or mixed in a 1:1 ratio with another high smoke point oil like avocado, canola, or sunflower.
• The quality of the beef is key. The better the beef, the more tender your bihari kababs will be.
• Most of the spices listed can be found at your local grocery store or online through Amazon or specialty online spice stores like Burlap & Barrel, Spicewalla, and Diaspora.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

• Calories: 835
• Total Fat: 68g (87% Daily Value)
• Saturated Fat: 17g (87% Daily Value)
• Cholesterol: 122mg (41% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 772mg (34% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrate: 21g (8% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 5g (16% Daily Value)
• Total Sugars: 9g
• Protein: 37g (74% Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 53mg (59% Daily Value)
• Calcium: 110mg (8% Daily Value)
• Iron: 6mg (35% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 866mg (18% Daily Value)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.