kabob palace

For anyone who has lived in Pentagon City, you know just how good the Kabob Palace is. Yes, it is scary and filled with cab drivers at night, but you just can't beat their kabobs. As I was scanning our pantry on Sunday morning deciding what to make for dinner before heading off to church, I noticed some Indian seasonings that I haven't touched in awhile. Of course I had chick peas, tomatoes, and onions, so I was good to go. I got the chick peas cooking and then started rummaging around the kitchen for something to go with the chick peas.

I flipped through the Betty Crocker Indian cookbook that I got as a gift a few years back and found this fantastic recipe for ground lamb kabobs. I obviously don't keep ground lamb in the freezer, so I substituted ground beef and in a few minutes had that marinating in the fridge to grill after church. Next up, I found a great recipe for naan. I was pretty excited about how the meal was turning out, all from random ingredients in my kitchen.

After church, Ben and I finished cooking the chick peas, grilled the beef, and made naan, which was incredible. I brushed the naan with butter once it came off the pan and sprinkled it with sea salt. Since Kabob Palace is famous for its sauce, I put together the closest imitation using cumin and cayenne to make it spicy. It wasn't the same, but it had the same effect of making the meat and naan more flavorful. Overall, it was an incredible meal.

Below are the recipes so that everyone can enjoy the goodness.

Seekh Kabob

1 lb ground beef (or lamb)

1/2 c finely chopped onion

1 t salt

1 t ground cardamom

1 t ground cumin

3/4 t ground black pepper

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together. (I let the meat and spices marinate in the fridge for a few hours before grilling.) Divide the meat into 12 parts and press around a skewer so that half of the skewer is covered. Grill 12-15 minutes on medium high heat, turning occassionally so that meat browns evenly. (I broiled the kabobs in the oven.) Serve with cutney or fresh lime.

Naan

3 c flour

1 T sugar

1 t salt

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 c milk, slightly warmed

2 T oil

1/4 c water, warmed

melted butter for brushing

Mix together the dry ingredients. Mix milk and oil; stir into flour mixture (it will be crumbly). Stir in water. Dough should form a ball, but not be sticky or dry. (I added a little more than 1/4 c.) Knead dough 2-3 minutes or until dough becomes smooth and pliable. Brush with butter, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Shape into a ball and let sit for another 30 minutes. Roll out each piece of dough into a circle, 1/4 inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Cook on a HOT frying pan (no oil) for 1-2 minutes each side. The pan needs to be hot so that the bread gets air bubbles while cooking. Once cooked, immediately brush with butter and sprinkle with salt.