Lunch: Shami Kebabs

Recipe by Huma Siddiqui (Ground Beef Patties)My son Samir loves shami kebabs with pooris (deep-fried wheat bread). They are also very tasty with basmati rice and raita (yogurt sauce).

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Shami Kebabs

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup dried yellow split peas
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
2 whole large (black) cardamom pods (see Tips, below)
3 whole small (green) cardamom pods
1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 whole cloves
6 whole dried red chiles, such as guajillos
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

In large pot, combine ground beef, split peas, onions, garlic, ginger, black and green cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, chiles, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to boil, then lower heat to moderate and simmer, uncovered, until meat is brown and mixture is very dry, about 30 minutes. (Be sure that all water has evaporated.) Remove from heat and cool.
When cool enough to handle, transfer mixture, including whole spices and chiles, to food processor. Grind until smooth and soft — texture should be finer than for hamburgers, but not so fine that it becomes extremely sticky. In large bowl, using hands, mix together ground meat, egg, and cilantro. Pressing firmly, form mixture into patties about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
In large, heavy skillet over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 to 6, fry patties until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

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