Gourmet Stuffed Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

• 2 x large boneless chicken breasts place in the freezer for 30 minutes
• 3 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• Juice of one lemon
• ½ tsp salt
• 200g (1 cup) Greek Yoghurt
• 1 tbsp gram (chickpea) flour
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 2 tsp garam masala or tandoori masala
• 1 ½ tsp amchoor powder
• 2 tbsp mustard oil or rapeseed (canola) oil
• Salt to taste
• FOR THE STUFFING
• 1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 2 shallots – finely chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 3 green bird’s eye chillie – finely chopped or blended to a paste
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 120g (1/4 lb) chicken mince
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander – finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• TO FINISH
• 3 tbsp melted ghee or butter

Steps

1. Place one of the chicken breasts on a clean surface and places one hand over the top. This will make slicing easier.
2. Using a sharp knife, slice horizontally into four very thin chicken steaks. Placing your hand over the breast makes slicing easier.
3. Now using a meat mallet or something that will work as one like a heavy cup, pound the steaks until they are about 2mm thick. They should be really thin but not falling apart.
4. Place the pounded chicken steaks in a mixing bowl and mix well with the garlic and ginger, lemon juice and salt. Set aside for about 20 minutes while you make the second marinade and stuffing.
5. Whisk the yoghurt with all the other marinade ingredients in a bowl until creamy smooth. Set aside.
6. Now heat the oil for the stuffing in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the shallots for about five minutes or until soft and translucent.
7. Add the garlic and ginger paste, the chillies, cumin and turmeric and stir it all up to combine. Continue cooking for about 45 seconds and then add the minced chicken.
8. Cook for about five minutes or until completely cooked through and then stir in the Parmesan, coriander and vinegar.
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer this stuffing to a bowl to cool.
10. Take one of the chicken breast steaks and lay it lengthwise in front of you. Place about 2 tbsp of the stuffing mixture on one end and the roll it all up lengthwise tightly.
11. Secure with a toothpick or two and repeat with the rest of the steaks.
12. Place these rolled bundles of deliciousness into the second marinade so that they are completely covered in sauce. You could cook these now or let them sit for a few hours or overnight for best results. Be sure to retain any leftover marinade.
13. When ready to cook, heat your BBQ for direct cooking. Skewer the chicken pieces directly though the center of the mince filling. It is important that each of the chicken bundles are pressed together on the skewer to help keep the stuffing in. I usually put about 3 or 4 on one skewer.
14. Cook over the coals for about five minutes until the underside is cooked through and lightly charred. Then turn the skewers to cook the other side about five more minutes. Continue turing until the stuffing is hot and the meat is cooked through and white.
15. Baste with some melted butter or ghee and transfer to a warm plate to rest for a few minutes. Next heat the retained marinade until simmering hot.
16. Serve the kebabs with some of the heated marinade.