Lamb Tikka Recipe: Grilled Lamb Tikka Kebabs

This lamb tikka recipe marinates cubes of lamb leg in yoghurt, garlic, ginger and freshly toasted spices, then grills them on skewers until charred. So 400g of lamb serves 6 as a starter at about 145 calories a serving, with 20 minutes’ work plus at least 6 hours marinating.

Unlike lamb tikka curry, these are dry kebabs, the takeaway starter rather than a dish in sauce. And the whole spices are toasted in a dry pan and ground fresh, so I find the marinade tastes far brighter than a jar paste.

Getting the skewers as close as possible to a fully heated grill is what gives tikka its charred edges. Then just 2 to 3 minutes a side leaves the lamb pink and juicy in the middle, since lamb leg dries out when overcooked.

Lamb Tikka Recipe: Grilled Lamb Tikka Kebabs

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Grilling Cuisine:British Indian Courses:Starter Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 10 minutesRest time:6 hours Total time:6 hours 30 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:145 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Toasted cumin, coriander, cloves and peppercorns are ground with turmeric, paprika and chilli, then stirred into yoghurt with garlic and ginger. After a long marinade, the lamb is threaded on skewers and blasted under a hot grill until browned at the edges. And it’s adapted from Great Curries by Si King and Dave Myers.

Ingredients

For the lamb

• 400g lamb leg meat
• lemon wedges, to serve

For the tikka marinade

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 whole cloves
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• ½ tsp ground fenugreek
• 1½ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• ½ tsp hot chilli powder
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp flaked sea salt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 20g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 4 tbsp plain natural yoghurt

Instructions

1. Toast the spices: Toast the cumin and coriander seeds, cloves and peppercorns in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Then grind them to a fine powder with the fenugreek, turmeric, paprika, chilli powder, cinnamon and salt.
2. Make the marinade: Tip the ground spices into a bowl and stir in the garlic, ginger and yoghurt until thoroughly mixed.
3. Marinate the lamb: Trim any obvious fat from the lamb, cut it into 2.5cm cubes and turn them in the marinade until coated. Then cover and chill for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight.
4. Thread the skewers: Thread the lamb onto long metal skewers, leaving 1 to 2cm between each piece. Then heat the grill to its hottest setting and set the skewers on a rack over a foil-lined grill pan.
5. Grill: Slide the pan onto a shelf as close to the heat as possible and grill for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Then turn the skewers with an oven cloth and grill for 2 to 3 minutes more, until charred but still pink inside.
6. Serve: Slide the lamb off the skewers with a fork. Then serve with lemon wedges, salad and chutneys or dips.

FAQs

What is lamb tikka?

Tikka means small pieces, so lamb tikka is boneless chunks of lamb marinated in spiced yoghurt and cooked on skewers. And it’s served dry as a starter or kebab, while lamb tikka masala takes those same grilled pieces into a creamy sauce.

Is lamb tikka spicy?

It’s warm rather than hot, since half a teaspoon of hot chilli powder is spread across 400g of lamb. And most of the colour comes from 2 teaspoons of paprika and the turmeric, so you can add more chilli if you like it fiery.

What is the difference between lamb tikka and tandoori lamb?

Tikka uses boneless cubes in a thick spiced yoghurt, while tandoori is usually bigger pieces on the bone in a looser, tangier marinade. And their tandoori chicken in the same book uses kashmiri chilli, cardamom, nutmeg, 150g of yoghurt and lemon juice, plus optional red colouring.

For grilled, charred chicken pieces finished in a sauce, try this chicken tikka masala with charred chicken.

Can you cook lamb tikka on a barbecue or in an air fryer?

A barbecue works well, and so does a lightly oiled griddle pan with the extractor on full. For an air fryer, use short skewers and start checking at 6 minutes at 200°C, though that’s my guess rather than a tested time.

What do you serve with lamb tikka?

Lemon wedges, a salad and a cooling yoghurt dip are all it needs as a starter. But for a full curry-house spread I’d add crisp onion bhajis and homemade potato and pea samosas.