There is a slight debate about the origin of kebabs between Turkey and Greece. However, that dispute cannot deny the rightful credit to the Afghan plunderers for gifting this popular delicacy to the Indian kitchens, way back in 1200 AD. The Mughals refined the rustic Afghani kebabs to the soft, succulent and aromatic, sophisticated variations.
I was introduced to kebabs on one of the occasional weekend dine-outs with my parents. It had quite an impact on my palette. The chargrilled flavor of fragrant and tender meat remained in my subconscious mind like a subtle reminder of the Mughlai dinner at The Astor Restaurant for a long time. Over the times, I had the privilege of tasting and trying several versions of kebabs, mostly because of my foodie-dad, who familiarized us with several varieties of the same, as specimens of mementos brought back from his work-tours and travels around India.
Over the years, my personal travel diaries have been accentuated by many kebab adaptations around the world, like the Turkish Doner kebabs, Japanese Yakitori, Pan Asian Satay. However, my personal favorite is the mildly spiced Greek Souvlakis with the soothing Tzatziki dip.
Kebabs are not only common snack food around the world, these are also the most prevalent starters of fine-dining restaurants. This food item is the favorite of meat-lovers around the globe. There are hundreds of kebab varieties with endless names and history. In India, the kebab culture was revolutionized under the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Lucknow. The most common but not exhaustive list being, the Seekh, Chapli, Rashmi, Boti, Kalmi, Kakori, Shami kebabs and the famous melt in the mouth Galauti kebab of Tunde Kababi of Lucknow. Its glorious existence was the RND of the one-handed khansamah, Haji Murad Ali, for the toothless Nawab Asad Ud Daula to enjoy kebabs.
Chefs and Khansamahs have expertly curated several vegetarian varieties, experimenting on every possible meat alternatives for the vegetarian connoisseurs. My personal pick of the list is the famous Dahi ke kebab, Rajme ki kebab, bhutteyan da kabab and sabudana seekh. The culinary experimentations of kebabs are not limited to the savory types, fruity mix and match variations have been developed to satiate the sweet tooth.
The evolution of kebabs is an ongoing process over the centuries. It would be sheer injustice to the gastronomical journey of kebab without a food trip down Lucknow’s Aminabad Khao Galli, Mumbai’s Mohammed Ali Road at the time of Iftari during Ramzan or the Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi. It is a treat to every sense and especially for kebab-lovers.
Every city has set a benchmark on certain specialties of kebabs. I am including a few of my favorites like the Pudina Tikka kebabs of Khyber restaurant in Mumbai, the Chelo kebabs of Peter Cat restaurant and Pasinda kebabs of Aminia restaurant of Kolkata, the Burrah kebabs and Shami kebabs of Karim’s near Jama Masjid Delhi, the Patthar Ke kebabs and Seekh kebabs of Hyderabad, and the Rajasthani Maans ka Soola. Don’t forget to share your personal picks in the comment section.
Kebabs are way healthier than other fried fast foods and in recent times, have gained the admiration of weight watchers too. High in Protein, combined with vegetables, kebabs can be the ideal food for weight loss provided the meat portions are lean. Some of the vegetarian kebabs can also substantially compensate for your daily fiber intake. So, don’t hesitate to try out and cook your version of kebab at home because you never know, it could be another valuable addition to the culinary history of this globally popular dish.
