Chicken Kofta kebab using Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment

This is a protein rich healthy chicken kebab recipe. In this recipe and video I have shown how to use kitchenaid meat grinder attachment and various appliances to prepare this chicken kofta kebab from scratch. Grinding the meat is a much economical process when compared to buying ground meat. Also we can get to choose our favorite meats. 

Appliances used in this recipe are : Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment,  Flat blade and bowl to mix the meat, cuisinart 13 cup food processor to chop the onion and herbs, Baking oven, Dishwasher.

Parts of Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment:

Body of meat grinder

Grind worm

Blade

Plates for output

Cover

Meat pusher / wrench / spanner

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) - 3 lb

Red onion (big) - 2

Green chili - 3

Cilantro - small bunch

Mint - small bunch

Ginger - 2 inch

Salt - 4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 3 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Besan flour - 1 1/4 cup

Peanut oil (any oil) - 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp

Method:

Remove the skin, bones, fat from chicken.

Grind the chicken.

Finely chop veggies, add to minced meat.

Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, Turmeric powder , Besan flour, oil 2 tbsp.

Attach the bowl to stand mixer and attach the flat beater.

Mix the above all together at speed 2-4 for 1 minute.

Then check if we need little salt or besan (we should be able to roll them as soft balls).

Add few tsp of oil to the side of the mixed meat (to touch while making the kofta).

Coat a baking tray with 1 tsp of oil.

Shape the kofta into small balls or oblong shapes.

Bake at 375 F (preheat for 10 mins before baking) for 15 min one side. Then flip and bake 10 more mins.

It should get mild golden red color.

Baked Kofta kebab is ready !

Serving suggestion:

Make required kofta using the meat batter. Keep the remaining dough in freezer and use it at convenience.

(To bring it to room temp, just leave it on kitchen counter for 3-4 hours).

Serve as side dish along with hot sauce.

Chicken Seekh kebab

"A kind of kebab, that is prepared with minced chicken or lamb . This is more common in Pakistani cuisine".

I tasted it in some  nearby restaurants (Shaalimar and Biryani house) and tried my best to get that taste.

Actually they make the shape of the kebab by pressing the minced meat over metal skewers and cook them in open fired and again the fire cooked kebabs are shallow fried. This is the basic procedure in one line. But it involves some techniques too. As my knowledge on these kebabs are very little, the shape didn't come out well. But recording this anyway :)

Here is the complete version to make  kebab similar to an authentic Chicken Sheekh kebab. I formulated this version by myself, by reading the food cultures and history of Afghanistan and Pakistan people. Please make a comment, if I need to improvise this recipe, as it is not my regional cuisine. Thanks!

Ingredients:
minced chicken - 1 lb
Onions - 1
green chillies - 2
lettuce -  2 leaves (optional)
cilantro - a handful
mint leaf - a handful
minced garlic - 1 tbsp
dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Puffed channa dhal (dalia) - 1 cup
(powder the puffed channa dhal)
bread slices - 2 (only if needed)
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tbsp

To powder:
dry red chilly - 2
coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp
fennel seed, kali jeera - 1 tsp each
cloves, cardamom - 2
cinnamon - 1 inch 
cumin - 1 tsp
garam masal powder - 1 tsp (optional)

How to get minced chicken?

option 1. We can buy the minced chicken at any halal shop. Some times they may sell a variety called masala minced chicken. That will make the job easy, as we can straightly add masal powders, bread crumbs and start doing it.

This is the minced masala chicken I bought from a halal shop.

option 2.Otherwise buy the minced chicken and mix all masala powders, salt and finely minced onion , cilantro, mint, green chillies etc (except bread, oil and flour).

option 3.Buy boneless chicken pieces  (red  meat is the best for juicy kebabs) and grind it coarsely.

Method:

While the mixer / blender is dry, powder the bread. keep aside. Separately , powder the puffed channa dhal (dhalia)and keep aside.

Select boneless chicken pieces from thigh (red meat is best here). Breast is also ok, but it won't give a juicy finish.

Grind the boneless chicken meat along with red chilly powder, garam masal,spices, salt.

Finely chop the onion, chilly, cilantro, mint and mix with the minced meat.
Add ginger garlic paste to it.

Add the bread crumbs and powdered dhal to get a thick minced meat dough.(we can use the bread crumbs alone, without any dhal powder or vice versa).

Make seekh kabab by pressing the minced meat around a skewer for about 4-5 inches in length.

This is how I shaped the kebab.

Bake it at 350 deg F and 15 mins both sides.

Serving suggestions:

Serve as starter with lemon wedges, tamarind sweet chutney, raitha etc.
Goes fine as side dish with biryani.

Note:

If we cannot make a correct shape, then add more bread crumbs or dhalia powder.

I add 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil or butter per lb and it won't need frying. Moreover all the oil will be evaporated while baking.
The baked ones can be cut into small pieces to make a kofta curry.
For baking : Soak the wooden skewers  in water overnight to avoid burning of the sticks.
If we cook the kebab over gas stove, then use metal skewers.
Dont try to rinse the kheema we buy from shop, as they already prepare kheema after washing and patting the extra moisture. If we wash again, it will get more watery and our koftas won't stick to sticks:)

An update:

Now I corrected my previous mistakes and prepared a good looking(!) kebab. I added more puffed channa dhal powder (pori kadalai mavu) , that made the kebab easy to handle.

Minced chicken with masala

Baked 'chicken sheekh kebab'.

Tips:
1.If there is no time to prepare puffed channa dhal powder, then dry roast a cup of channa dhal flour (besan flour/ kadalai mavu) till it turns mild red and use instead.
I microwave the besan flour for 5 minutes. If microwaving, then do it for a minute , take out stir well and then repeat till it gets a nice aroma and very mild red color.

2. Adding a cup of finely chopped lettuce and some more extra virgin olive oil will yield a very juicy kebab. Adding oil while baking is the best alternative to avoid frying the kebab.

3. Number of kababs from 1 lb  meat: One pound of chicken kheema will yield 8-10 kebabs.