This tasty home-smoked dish originates in Uttar Pradesh, where it is called galavat ke kebab

Serves 4

500g / 1lb 2 oz boneless lamb from the leg, diced
100g / 4oz lamb fat (ask your butcher)
1 onion, sliced
50g / 2 oz cashew nuts
4 green chillies
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
2 tablespoons papaya paste
½ teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chilli powder
¼ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of ground nutmeg
60g / 2½ oz roasted chana powder
6 tablespoons ghee
large pinch saffron strands
few sprigs fresh mint, chopped
salt, to taste
chopped tomato, red onion and cucumber, to serve

Combine the diced lamb and lamb fat. Blend in a food processor until finely minced.

Fry the sliced onion, cashew nuts and green chillies until golden brown, drain on kitchen paper and blend to a fine paste in a food processor, adding water if required. Set aside.

Put the minced lamb, ginger and garlic paste, papaya paste, and the onion, cashew nut and green chilli paste in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the garam masala, chilli powder, mace, cardamom, nutmeg and roasted chana powder. Add 4 tablespoons ghee, the saffron, chopped fresh mint and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined.

For an authentic smoky flavour you can now smoke the lamb. Tip the lamb mixture into a large roasting tray with deep sides. Place a hot piece of charcoal in a small metal bowl and place it in the middle of the roasting tray. Pour a teaspoon of ghee onto the charcoal and then cover the roasting tray with a lid or some aluminium foil, trapping the smoke inside.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes. Discard the charcoal and mix well. Divide the mixture into balls and then press them gently to make flat patties.

Heat the remaining ghee in a non-stick pan and fry the patties one at a time, for about 1 minute on each side. Turn and cook over a medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Serve with chopped tomato, red onion and cucumber.

• This recipe is taken from Food of the Grand Trunk Road – Recipes of rural India, from Bengal to the Punjab, by Anirudh Arora and Hardeep Singh Kohli (New Holland, £19.99). Order a copy for £15.99 from the Guardian bookshop

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