Easy recipe: Kababu kavu or black (kari) fried kebabs

These Swahili kebabs are very popular at the coast of East Africa. Made using minced meat and deep-fried until dark brown, they are also known as black (kari) kebabs or kababu kavu, They have a crispy outside and moist inside and are rich with fresh garlic and ginger and a touch of seasonal spices.

What you will need:

500g minced meat 1 whole egg Juice of 1 lime 4 garlic cloves 1 stick of fresh ginger 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon curry powder Red chillies 1 onion chopped Fresh coriander Salt to taste

What to do:

In a mortar, add the sliced ginger, garlic cloves, salt (helps ingredients not to fly out of the mortar as you pound). Add one or two red chillies and then squeeze some lime juice in the mix. Using a pestle, pound the mixture until nicely ground to a paste. Add in some chopped onions and coriander and continue to grind or pound until smooth.

Scoop out the ground mixture into a bowl with the minced meat. Mix well using your hands. Break in the egg and continue to mix.

Add the black paper and curry powder. Add some salt and extra lime if you wish. Continue to mix with your hands until well combined.

Mould your kebabs with your hand to a desired shape. I decided to do oblong ones. Ensure you squeeze them so that you can get rid of any extra juices and then arrange them on a platter. In a deep pan over medium heat, add some vegetable oil and fry the kebabs until dark brown. Once ready, remove the kebabs from the oil and place them on a serviette to get rid of excess oil.

If you wish, you can split some whole red chillies with a knife and fry them, sprinkle some salt over them and use them as a garnish with some slices of lime. Enjoy the kebabs as a snack or with a side of your choice.

 

(Images: Chef Ali Mandhry)

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