Lukhmi

Lukhmi: Lukhmi is a typical mince savoury or starter of the cuisine of Hyderabad, India. The snack’s authentic preparation includes stuffing with mutton-mince kheema. It is a non-vegetarian derivative of the samosa although, unlike the latter, the lukhmi is shaped into a flat square patty. Kheemey-ki-Lukhmi is still served as a starter in the authentic Hyderabadi weddings and other celebrations.

Ingredients (serves 8-10):

For Lukhmi:

• 1 Kg all purpose flour (maida)
• 250 gms margarine (dalda)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• Water, as needed

For Filling:

• 500 gms mutton kheema (minced meat)
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 bunch each mint and coriander, finely chopped
• 1 medium sized tomato, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp oil
• Oil, for deep frying

Method:

• Mix thoroughly (rub it with your palms) dalda with all purpose flour properly, in a bowl, for at least 20 minutes
• Add in the salt and milk.
• Make a medium consistency dough, adding water if required.
• The dough shouldn’t be very soft neither should it be hard.
• Cover the dough with a wet cloth and rest it for 20 minutes.
• Keep aside.
• Wash and drain your minced meat.
• Add the minced meat with ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder and lemon juice.
• Marinate the minced meat for 2 hours (or preferably overnight).
• Heat a heavy based non-stick pan on medium heat.
• Add in the marinated minced meat, chopped onion, tomato, coriander and mint.
• Cook the minced meat, without adding any oil.
• The minced meat will get cooked in the water released from the onions and tomato.
• Cook till the water dries up and the meat starts sticking to the pan’s base.
• Just before turning off the heat add 1 tsp oil and the garam masala powder.
• Saute’ for 2 -3 minutes and your kheema filling is ready.
• Scoop the kheema out in a bowl and let it cool to the room temperature
• Keep aside.
• Make around 20 equal size balls from the rested dough.
• Roll out the dough balls to 2-3 mm thickness.
• Cut out the rolled out dough into 4 inch by 2 inch rectangles.
• Fill in dough rectangle with 1 teaspoon kheema and seal it, by folding it over, to make a 2 inch by 2 inch square.
• Make sure you seal the corners properly, if the corners are not properly sealed the dough will open up whilst deep frying.
• Make the kheema filled dough squares using all the dough and kheema.
• Keep aside.
• Heat the oil, in a deep bottomed pan, on medium heat.
• Deep fry the kheema filled dough squares on medium heat, till golden brown.
• Lukhmi is ready to be served.
• Serve the hot lukhmi with mint chutney and onion.

If you have any queries regarding the Lukhmi recipe, please leave a comment.