Delightful barbeque on a chilly evening

Smoky flavour, burnt texture, charred finish, scorched surface, yet soft insides. Whether grilled in a large earthen oven, on an open fire or a special appliance is known as a barbecue. Barbecue is best done in the late winter afternoon, mainly prepared with beef, having no distant relationship with vegetables. But nowadays chicken has also taken its place. And as cooking is an art and has no boundaries, people don’t hesitate to use vegetables.
Here are a few homemade barbecue recipes. I have added my twist to give it a traditional touch. Those who do not have special barbecue appliances can also make these in normal electric ovens.

LIVER BOTI KEBAB

Botti translates to cubed/diced meat. Botti kebabs are tender and moist, mostly made by threading into skewers. It is usually made with any sort of boneless meat, but I have tried making it with liver. And trust me, it tastes heavenly!

500g liver (either beef or mutton) is needed

1 tbsp ginger paste, ½ tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp red chilly powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp papaya paste, ½ tsp kebab masala, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder,3 tbsp mustard oil, Salt to taste.

Method : Cut the liver into cubes/dice, not more than 1 inch. Combine all ingredients with the liver. Toss well coating with the marinade properly. Cover and rest them for 3-4 hours or let refrigerate overnight. Heat the grill to medium. Thread the liver into a skewer and cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked, spreading the leftover marinade occasionally.

BBQ MUTTON RIBS

Ingredients : 500g mutton ribs, 2 tbsp papaya paste, 1 tbsp red chilly powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbsp BBQ masala, 1 tsp all-spice powder, ½ tsp crushed black pepper, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 4-5 tsp oil, Salt to taste.

Method :

Mix all the ingredients, except the mutton ribs in a large bowl. Make a thick paste. Put it on the ribs and mix well. Keep aside for 3-4 hours. Heat your griller to high. Place the ribs on the grill and cook until tender, golden brown and slightly charred, 7-8 minutes. Turn the ribs over and continue to grill for 5-6 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F). When done, transfer to a plate and serve hot.

GRILLED BEEF STEAKS

Ingredients : 4 rib-eye steaks, ½ cup oil, 6 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp garlic, minced, 1 onion, chopped, 2 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper, 1 tbsp crushed dried rosemary, 3 tbsp steak sauce

Method

In a food processor, combine oil, soy sauce, garlic, onion, pepper, salt, rosemary, and steak sauce. Process until well blended. Prick steaks on both sides with a fork, and place them in a shallow container with a lid. Pour marinade over steaks, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Remove steaks from the marinade, and discard the marinade. Lightly oil the grilling surface, and place steaks on the grill. Cover, and grill the steaks for about 10 minutes on each side, or to your desired degree of doneness.

CHICKEN TANDOORI
Chicken tandoori is mainly a Mughal dish that is characterized by its lavishness. In the sixteenth century, Mughals came to India from Central Asia and brought with them a heritage that blended Arab, Turkish, and Persian cultures. Tandoori chicken is one of those fabulous recipes that the Mughals conjured up.

Ingredients: 1 chicken, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp almond paste, 1 tsp kabab masala , ¼ cup yoghurt , 3 tbsp mustard oil , Salt to taste

Method

Cut chicken into four pieces. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients with the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least three hours. Preheat the grill. Thread the chicken pieces into the skewers and brush oil over them.   Grill for 15 minutes or until cooked properly. Turn frequently while grilling.

SPICY GRILLED SHRIMP

Ingredients: 500g shrimp, peeled and deveined , 1 large clove garlic, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp black pepper powder , 2 tbsp lemon juice , Salt to taste

Method

Preheat the grill to medium heat. In a small bowl, crush the garlic with the salt. Mix in pepper and paprika, stir in olive oil and lemon juice to form a paste. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with garlic paste until evenly coated. Lightly oil the grilling grate. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until opaque. Transfer to a serving dish, garnished with lemon wedges and serve.

GRILLED MUSHROOM SKEWERS

Ingredients: 500g mushrooms, sliced ¼-inch thick,2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce , 3 cloves garlic, chopped , 1 tsp thyme, chopped , 1 tsp black pepper powder , Salt to taste

Method

Marinate the mushrooms in the mixture of, below, for 30 minutes. Thread mushrooms on skewers; grill over medium-high heat until just tender and slightly charred, about 2-3 minutes per side.