Dorra Kebab, Peshwari Barrah Kebab & Kakori Kebab

The Dorra Kebab recipe dates back to the 18th century and has been revived and preserved to satiate your gastronomical senses. Dorra means “silk thread.” A 200-year-old labour-intensive recipe, the Dorra Kebab is made with minced lamb and originally marinated with more than 30 rare herbs and spices. The meat is shaped like a sausage on a silk dorra that is dabbed with sandalwood oil and then laid on smoldering coals. The expertise lies in not allowing the silk to burn and gently unravelling the juicy kebab with a single pull of the string.

Meat (lamb) - 1 kg 

Fat (kidney) - 250 gm
Vanilla root - 1
Khus root - 1
Sandal powder - 2.5 gm
Gondh (Gum Arabica)
Flak seeds - 2.5 gm
Pistachio powder - 5 gm
Kebab chini - 5 gm
A few rose petals
Saffron - 2.5 gm

Make a mince of the meat and the fat and pass through the mincer for 10-12 minutes till it becomes a fine paste. Now, add the spices to the mixture and mix well. Skewer onto a rounded wooden stick covered with a silk dorra and cook over a charcoal grill until done. Remove dorra and serve.

This Mughal delicacy has been tingling taste buds for years. Ideally, it’s made from baby lamb chops marinated in ginger-garlic yoghurt and spices. Over the years, chefs have been experimenting with its ingredients and recipe. But, if you are looking at authentic Barrah Kebab, the basic recipe still remains the same.

Lamb shoulder chops - 6
Cube ginger root - 1/2 inch
Groundnut peeled and chopped -2.5 gm
Ground black pepper - 2.5 gm
Thick set plain yoghurt - 200 ml
Ground cinnamon - 5 gm
Salt To taste
Cayenne or chilli powder - 5 gm
Cooking oil - 15 ml
Turmeric - 2.5 gm
Ground cumin - 2.5 gm
Garlic cloves, peeled - 2
Sesame seeds - 15 gm
Onions, chopped coarse - 30 gm

Trim off excess fat from the chops and flatten each of them with a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Put all ingredients except chops, oil, cumin and sesame seeds, into a blender and blend. Put chops into a large bowl and pour the blended ingredients over them. Using your fingers, rub the marinade into each chop. Cover the container with plastic wrap and leave to marinate at least eight hours or overnight.

Pre-heat oven to 425º F (220º C). Line a roasting pan with aluminium foil, this will help reflect heat and keep your roasting pan clean.

Arrange the chops on the roasting pan in a single layer (reserve the remaining marinade) and cook in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes— turning the chops over once.

Reduce heat to 400º F (205º C). Mix some of the remaining marinade with the oil and cumin.

Brush the chops with this and sprinkle half the seeds on top. Return the pan to the upper level of the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the chops over and brush this side with the remaining marinade mixture and sprinkle the rest of the seeds as before. Cook for 10-15 minutes.

The Kakori Kebab is an old recipe from the kitchens of the Lucknow’s erstwhile royalty that has been preserved through the ages. It is essentially minced lamb meat, infused with raw papaya and then smoked in a large closed container by way of a lump of smouldering coal and a dollop of ghee.

Kakori Kebab, the story goes, was first prepared by the cooks of the Nawab of Kakori in Awadh. He had lost his teeth but not the craving for kebabs. These kebabs are so soft that they melt in the mouth.”

Ground lamb - 500 gm
Raw papaya (mashed) - 30 gm
Chopped onions - 50 gm
Minced garlic - 50 gm
Chopped ginger - 50 gm
Salt To taste
Garam masala powder- 25 gm
Cumin powder - 5 gm
Egg - 1 (beaten)
Kewra water - 5 ml
Besan ( gram flour ) - 25 gm

Heat ghee in a pan. Sauté onions till light brown. Add garlic and ginger and keep sauteing till almost a paste. Add papaya. Add ground lamb and after a minute, transfer contents to a large mixing bowl.

Mix spices, ground. Cover and let it marinate at room temperature for 4-6 hours.

Then, add kewra water and egg and besan. Cover each skewer with about ¼" thick mixture. It will look like a cigar that has been pierced with a skewer lengthwise. Preheat oven to 375º F (190º C). Bake for 25 minutes. Serve hot.