Shami Kebab

A Shami Kebab (Urdu: شامی کباب, Hindi: शामी कबाब) or Shami Tikka (Urdu: شامی تکہ, Hindi: शामी टिक्का) is a small patty of minced beef, mutton or chicken ground chickpeas and spices.

Shami kebabs are an extremely popular snack in Pakistan and India. They are often garnished with lemon juice and/or sliced raw onions, and are usually eaten with chutney made from mint or coriander. They are also served along with Sheer Qorma on Muslim Eid Days.

A variation of Shami Kebab is found in Bangladeshi cuisine. The recipe is almost the same but it tastes different from the original version. Beef Shami Kebab is the most popular.

History

The origin of the name of the dish is a mystery. "Shami Kabab" literally means "Syrian Kabab" in Arabic. Some are of the opinion that these kebabs were introduced to India during the Mughal era by Muslim emigrants from the Middle East. They had employed cooks from all over the Muslim world to serve in the royal kitchens. Some of the cooks were from Syria as well. The "Sham" refers to either Syria specifically or the Levant in general, and these kebabs literally means "Syrian kebabs" or "Levantine kebabs" in Arabic.

Another source states that the word "Sham" is evening in Hindicite web|url = http://www.wordanywhere.com/cgi-bin/fetch.pl?&word=shaam&words=shaam%2CHindi%2CEnglish%2C%2Fimages%2Fh2e%2Fshaam.gif&num_items=16&related=true&pos=0|title = Shaam (शाम)|publisher = Word Anywhere|accessdate = 2007-06-27] and Urducite web|url = http://www.urduword.com/search.php?English=Evening|title = Shaam (شام)|publisher = Urdu Word|accessdate = 2007-06-27] and "sham-e-Awadh", evening in Lucknow of yore cite web|url = http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061203/spectrum/food.htm|title = Shami kebab without frills|publisher = The Tribune, Chandigarh, India|accessdate = 2007-06-27] . A parochial perfumer from the Indian city of Kannauj offered an explanation linking the spices used with the seductive whiff of an Atr called "Shamama".cite web|url = http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061203/spectrum/food.htm|title = Shami kebab without frills|publisher = The Tribune, Chandigarh, India|accessdate = 2007-06-27] .

In popular culture

Shami kebabs were immortalised in Grant Naylor's science fiction series "Red Dwarf", where character David Lister was nearly killed by an alien masquerading as his favourite supper.

References

External links

* [http://www.angelfire.com/country/fauziaspakistan/shamikabab.html Fauzia's Pakistani recipes]
* [http://www.surfindia.com/recipes/shami-kabab.html Surf India: Shami Kabab Recipe]
* [http://www.indiacurry.com/lamb/l011shamikebab.htm Indian Curry: Recipe Shami Kebab/Shami Tikka]