Seekh Kebab — Minced Meat on Skewer (सीख कबाब)

Mughal court kitchens; seekh kebab is documented in Ain-i-Akbari (Akbar's court accounts, 1590); the style was developed by the Mughal court's Central Asian culinary heritage

Seekh kebab (सीख कबाब) is the minced meat kebab of the Mughal kitchen: ground lamb or beef (or a mix, occasionally chicken) seasoned with onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli, coriander, cumin, garam masala, and charcoal-smoked through the dhungar method before being shaped around flat metal skewers and cooked in the tandoor or over coal. The fat ratio is the technique's governing principle — 20% fat in the mince is the minimum required for the seekh to hold its shape on the skewer without falling apart; leaner mince needs a binding agent (egg, besan) that changes the texture to 'sausage' rather than the expected crumbly-tender result.

Served with sliced onion, mint chutney, lemon, and tandoori naan. The char from the grill and the aromatic mince are the flavour core; the condiments add freshness and acid.