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The vibrant street food culture across Lucknow is well-known for being replete with offerings that reflect the rich heritage of the city. From chaat to kebabs - there’s something for every palate and preference. However, for those who do not have access to these delights within arm’s reach, it’s always a great idea to reproduce the flavours and textures in one’s kitchen. Think fluffy, saffron-laced, slightly sweet sheermal with a golden crust - ideal to soak up the flavours of meaty kebabs that are spiced just enough to tantalise the tastebuds. While traditional methods involve baking sheermal in a coal tandoor, using Usha’s OTG does the trick for a domestic setting. The optimum heat distribution enables techniques like baking, roasting and grilling to occur with ease, all without compromising on taste.
Baked Sheermal
Made using easily available ingredients - namely flour, milk, ghee, saffron, cardamom and kewra - the sheermal is aromatised to almost feel like a sweet treat. In Lucknow, the flatbread is usually paired with spiced, rich meat curries, or in this case, with hearty kebabs that are savoury and packed with aromatics. To bake a sheermal in the OTG, kneading the dough the right way is key. Add the ghee in batches to incorporate the fat little by little, and even use an egg (for those who prefer added richness) to bind the dough while also making it soft. Typically, once portioned and rolled out, the flatbread requires no more than 10-15 minutes in a preheated oven, to brown evenly on the surface as well as develop the right fluffy-crisp texture.
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Shikampuri Kebab
What is essentially a medley of assorted vegetables and lentils, the vegetarian version of the Shikampuri kebab - much like the galawati - has a delicate texture and rich mouthfeel, courtesy of the usage of paneer and khoya. While most ingredients used to mix the kebab are pre-cooked, shaping them into pucks and baking them in an oven gives them a caramelised crust to elevate its flavour. The sweetness from the browned onions as well as the layered complexity from the liberal use of spices give these kebabs an edge over the usual vegetarian counterparts - which might otherwise feel not as ‘meaty’ or punchy in taste. Brushing the kebabs with some oil and roasting them in the oven for 10-12 minutes before resting them for 2-3 minutes, allows their flavour to mature fully, before being served with green chutney and sliced onions.
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Galawati Kebab
Image Credits: Flickr
Perhaps one of Lucknow’s most popular offerings, the delicate galawat kebabs are made using finely minced mutton as well as exotic additions such as dried rose petals for floral undertones. The key to making the perfect morsels each time would be to create the perfectly crisp crust with a delicate centre that showcases the unique juxtaposition of why the kebab is considered to be a specialty. Unlike the pan-frying technique where there is a risk of breaking the patties while frying, baking the kebabs in an OTG means simply placing each piece on a tray greased with ghee, and cooking it in a hot oven for about three minutes per side. This is also a great way to ensure that hosts aren’t endlessly spending time in the kitchen during a gathering, while also making kebabs in batches.
