Deconstructed Kebab Rolls

I love kebabs.  The quintessentially Indian food that we grew up eating and served in naan bread or roti as street food in India.  But they always sit uncomfortably in my stomach given the combination of ingredients most commonly used, so I tend to avoid them.  Wheat and red meat do not combine well in the gut and can cause bloating, digestive distress and that heavy, sleepy feeling you get from a big meal.  When I started cooking and trying to find delicious alternatives for my favourite dishes (as my digestion could no longer tolerate a lot of them!), kebabs were the first place I wanted to start.  As I started my cooking class this dish became a consistent favourite but I also wanted to add some freshness to the dish to cut through the red meat and give you a lovely summer bbq dish that is simple and easy to make.

You can serve this with naan bread or rotis on the side for those who are looking for a more traditional version and you can cook the kebabs in the oven or on the barbecue.  I prefer lamb but the recipe works equally well with beef too. I use rice flour which is fantastic to keep it gluten free – I hope you love these as much as I do!

Ingredients

For the spinach paste

• 225g baby spinach leaves, washed 
• 45g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
• 5cm/2in piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 tsp Coconut Oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Kebabs

• 500g Lean Mince (lamb or beef whatever you prefer)
• 1 Red Onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Ghee
• Green Chillies to taste
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tbsp. Coriander/Cumin powder
• 1 Inch piece of ginger (skin on), grated
• 1 cup of Fresh Coriander
• 1-2 tbsp. Rice Flour
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. For the spinach paste put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until you have a paste – it won’t be completely smooth but it shouldn’t be too chunky either. Keep some spinach leaves aside for garnishing
2. For the kebabs – gently fry the onion in the ghee until they are softened but not browned.  Set aside to cool
3. Put the mince, egg, spices, coriander and grated ginger in a bowl and give it a good mix with your hands
4. Once the onions have cooled, add them in and mix well again
5. Add the rice flour a little at a time until the mixture binds together well and the mix holds its shape in your hands
6. Chill for at least 30 mins, the longer you can leave it the better
7. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
8. Once chilled, shape the kebabs into sausage shapes.  Wet your hands before you start so the meat doesn’t stick to them
9. Place them on a foiled backing tray and cook for about 15 mins
10. Turn them over and put the grill on for another 10 mins of cooking to give them a lovely brown colour (alternatively you can cook them entirely on the barbecue)
11. Spread the spinach paste on the bottom of the serving dish, lay across sliced tomatoes and add the kebabs on top.  Place a spinach leaf on top of each kebab and a dollop of raita.
12. To create a more traditional roll spread the spinach inside a naan or roti, insert the kebab and top with my tomato relish and traditional raita.