Authentic Homemade Lamb Tikka
Air fried indian lamb tikka or lamb kebab made with tender pieces of lamb marinated in yogurt, spices, fresh herbs and lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 500 g (~1.2lb) lamb trimmed boneless lamb leg, cut into 2 to 2.5 inch cubes
For The Tikka Marinade
- ½ cup greek yogurt or hung curd (full fat, plain)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste use store bought or simply pound 3 peeled garlic cloves with ¼ inch peeled ginger in a mortar pestle.
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup green herbs fresh cilantro & mint, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ghee melted
- 1.25 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
Spices
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder for color
- 1.5 teaspoon red chilli powder (hot) or cayenne, adjust to taste
- ¾ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder
- 2 pinches nutmeg fresh grated
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi dried fenugreek leaves, skip if not available
To Serve
- Onions slices, lemon wedges, chaat masala etc
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the yogurt. Add all the ground spices, ginger and garlic, kasoori methi, salt, melted ghee and lemon juice. Mix very well using a whisk. Place the marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes for flavors to mingle. Tip :- If you want a reddish hued tikka, you could add 1-2 drops of red food color to the marinade.
- Pat dry lamb pieces using a paper towel. Pour the marinade over the lamb. Using your hands, rub the meat all over to cover it with the marinade. Add the fresh chopped green herbs, mix well and marinate for at least 12-18 hours. You could marinate for up to 3 days. The longer the meat marinates, the tender it gets and better the flavor.
- Take out the marinated lamb 30 minutes from the refrigerator prior to cooking. Skewer the marinated lamb onto metal or wooden skewers. When you are doing so, thread the meat in flat side up so that maximum surface area of of the meat is exposed to high heat. This gives a better char.Tip - Soak the bamboo skewers in water for an hour or so and dry them before using.Tip - You could pieces of onion or red bell peppers to make the tikka skewers look colorful and appetizing.
- Cook the lamb tikka using ONE of the following methods :-Air Fry - I do this. Preheat air fryer to 400F (200 C). Place the skewers into preheated air fryer. Air fry for 12-14 minutes or until you see charred edges on the lamb. Halfway, using tongs, turn the lamb skewers. Keep in mind that the time will vary depending on the size of lamb pieces as well as how you like them- rare, medium rare or well done. Grill - Cook the lamb 5-7 minutes on each side or until you see that the meat is charred.
- Let the tikka rest for a little bit. Sprinkle with some chaat masala and serve warm. Storing & Reheating - You may store the cooked lamb tikka refrigerated for 3-4 days. To reheat, air fry for 1-2 minutes or use a microwave or chop into smaller pieces and heat up in a pan.
Notes
Recipe Tips
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- Lamb - Make sure to trim off excess fat from the lamb.
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- Marination - If you are short on time, you could definitely add a ½ teaspoon of meat tenderizer or some raw papaya to the marinade. Else, allow the lamb to marinate ideally overnight in the refrigerator. This helps to tenderize the meat naturally and infuse it with delicious flavors.
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- Experiment with Seasonings- Feel free to experiment with additional spices like coriander or turmeric powder or cinnamon or curry powder etc. You can add different herbs and spices to suit your taste preferences.
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- Resting - Once cooked, let the lamb tikka rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a tender meat.
- Serve as an appetizer with chutney, onions and lemon.
- Make a tikka wrap or a roll - Slather some green chutney on a paratha or naan. Add the tikka (you could chop it up if you wish). Add kachumber or pickled onions on top. Wrap it up!
- Serve as a main course with egg pulao or saffron rice or basmati rice.
- Salad - For a lighter meal, use lamb tikka as a topping for salads. Cut the lamb tikka into smaller pieces and add them to the salad. I like to make it a little greek style with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and a crumble of feta. Drizzle a dressing of your choice on top - I like lemon yogurt-based dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 24gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 824mgPotassium: 355mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 475IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg
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