SURF n’ TURF

 

For the seared king scallops:

 

12 king scallops, cleaned

 

1 tsp salt

 

1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil

 

1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly roasted

 

1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted and coarsely crushed

 

1 tsp coriander seeds, roasted and coarsely crushed

 

½ tsp red chilli flakes

 

1 tbsp rice flakes (pawa)

 

1 tbsp butter

 

Juice of 1 lemon

 

For the aubergine relish:

 

6 large sized aubergines

 

1 ½ tsp salt

 

1 tsp mustard oil

 

1 small red onion, finely chopped

 

1 cm/½ inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

 

1 green chilli, finely chopped

 

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

 

Juice of ½ a lemon

 

Pat the scallops dry on a kitchen paper. Sprinkle the salt and set aside for a couple of minutes.
 

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and sear the scallops over a medium to high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, chilli and rice flakes on top of the scallops to form an even crust.
 

Add the butter to the pan and place the pan under a hot grill for 2 minutes until the rice flake turn golden brown and the butter starts foaming. Remove the scallops from the pan and add the lemon juice.
 

Place the aubergines in a roasting tray and roast in an oven at 200C/400F/Gas mark 6 for about 18 minutes. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
 

Once cooled, peel the skin and roughly chop the aubergines. Add the remaining ingredients and adjust the seasoning. Serve the scallops on a bed of aubergine.

 

For the kebab:

 

500 g lean lamb mince

 

3 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

 

1/5 tbsp red chilli powder

 

3 tbsp ghee, melted

 

1 pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp of water

 

1 tsp of fresh pineapple juice

 

1/5 tsp salt 

 

4 tbsp dried onions, fried and 2 tbsp fried cashew nut (Mix together the fried onions and cashew nuts and blend to a smooth paste in a blender)

 

4 drops of rose or kewra water

 

Ghee to shallow fry 

 

For the spice mix:

 

½ tsp cumin, roasted and cooled

 

4 green cardamoms

 

1 blade of mace

 

Seeds of 1 black cardamom

 

½ tsp black peppercorns

 

1/8 nutmeg

 

4 cloves

 

Mix together all the above spices and grind to a fine powder in mortar and pestle.
 

Take the minced meat in a mixing bowl, add the spice mix and all the other ingredients into it and mix well. Add the ghee into the mince and chill in the freezer compartment for 20-30 minutes.
 

Take the chilled mince and blend in a food processor pulsing slowly at first then for longer durations as the machine eases off. Blend for 2-3 minutes until the mix acquires the texture of a fine mince.
 

Now add the remaining tablespoon of ghee, rose or kewra water as you may be using, mix thoroughly and refrigerate again to chill for 15-20 minutes.
 

Shape the minced meat into patties of about 40 to 50 gms each and 4 cm in diameter. Heat the ghee for shallow frying in a heavy-based frying pan and shallow fry the patties over low heat for about 1-2 minutes on each side until they are well cooked.
 

Remove from the pan and place them on kitchen paper to get rid of the excess fat. Serve hot with seared king scallops, and aubergine relish.