Two-Shape Chicken Kebab Plate: Boti & Seekh with Mint Chutney

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

One bright ginger-garlic-chile masala paste does double duty: half goes into a yogurt marinade for cubed chicken thigh boti, half gets worked into ground chicken for smoky seekh kebabs. Both cook side by side on the same grill in under 15 minutes, and land on a plate with buttery cumin rice, cooling mint chutney and sliced onions — the full kebab-house spread from one bowl of spice.

Ingredients

• 6 clove garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 2 green serrano chiles, stems removed
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chile powder or sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
• 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch squares (optional, for skewering)

• 1 1/4 lb ground chicken, preferably dark meat (93% or fattier)
• 1/2 cup finely grated onion, squeezed very dry
• 3 tbsp chickpea flour (besan), toasted
• 1 tbsp melted ghee
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
• 1 cup cilantro, packed
• 1 green serrano chile
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 2 tbsp ghee or butter
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala (optional)
• 4 naan or roti, warmed (optional)

• 8 metal skewers (or bamboo, soaked 30 minutes)

Instructions

1. Make the master masala paste: combine the garlic, ginger, serranos, cilantro, lemon juice, ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, Kashmiri chile powder, turmeric and 2 1/2 tsp salt in a small food processor or blender. Blend to a coarse, spoonable paste, scraping down as needed and adding 1 tablespoon water only if it stalls. You should have about 3/4 cup. Divide it evenly between two bowls.
2. Marinate the boti: to one bowl of paste, whisk in the Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon chickpea flour. Add the cubed chicken thighs and turn to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally 4 to 8 hours.
3. Build the seekh mix: toast the 3 tablespoons chickpea flour in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until it smells nutty and turns one shade darker; cool. Grate the onion, then squeeze it hard in a clean towel until barely damp — excess water will make the kebabs fall off the skewer. In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, second bowl of masala paste, dry onion, toasted chickpea flour, melted ghee and black pepper.
4. Knead the seekh mix with your hand for a full 2 minutes, pressing and smearing against the side of the bowl until it turns tacky and slightly sticky — this protein binding is what holds the kebab together. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour (this firms the fat and makes shaping far easier).
5. Make the mint chutney: blend the mint, cilantro, serrano, ginger, yogurt, lime juice, sugar and 3/4 tsp salt until smooth, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water for a pourable consistency. Refrigerate until serving.
6. Cook the rice: rinse the basmati in several changes of cold water until it runs clear, then drain 10 minutes. Melt the ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cumin seeds and sizzle 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the rice and stir 1 minute, then add 2 1/4 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to the lowest heat and cook 12 minutes. Off heat, rest covered 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
7. Heat the grill: for charcoal, bank a full chimney of coals to one side for a hot zone and a cooler zone; for gas, heat all burners on high 10 minutes, then turn one side to medium-low. Scrape the grates clean and oil them well.
8. Shape both kebabs: thread the marinated chicken cubes onto 4 skewers, leaving a little space between pieces and alternating with onion squares if using. For the seekh, wet your hands with cold water, divide the chilled mix into 4 portions, and press each around the length of a skewer into an even 7-inch log about 1 inch thick, pinching gentle ridges along the surface.
9. Grill the seekh first: lay them over the hot zone and do not touch them for 3 minutes, so a crust forms and releases. Roll a quarter turn and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, 9 to 11 minutes total, until deeply browned in spots and 165°F at the center. Move to the cool zone if they flare or color too fast.
10. Grill the boti: place over the hot zone and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning twice, for 8 to 10 minutes total, until the edges are charred and the thickest cube reads 175°F (thighs stay juicy well past 165°F). Brush with any leftover boti marinade during the first turn only.
11. Rest the skewers on a platter for 5 minutes. Slide the kebabs off, dust everything with chaat masala and a squeeze of lemon, and plate with the cumin rice, mint chutney, sliced red onion, lemon wedges and warm naan.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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