In this edition, Shimla Spice shares the recipe and method of cooking the traditional seekh kebab.

Seekh kebab is a traditional starter, which you will find on all or 95 per cent of Indian or Asian restaurant menus throughout the world.

This starter originated from the Middle East, then spread to Central Asia.

The word ‘seekh’ in the Pakistani/Punjabi language means skewer, and kebab is what it really is.

The majority of kebab eaters would have this with meat, but some have it in beef, chicken and even in fish.

Here in England, when people dine at our restaurant and forget the name of the seekh kebab, they ask us for the sausage-style starter. Most people have a mindset that a seekh kebab is an Indian/Asian version of the British sausage.

I personally think the idea of a seekh kebab has come from the influence of the British sausage.

We present you with the recipe and method, right, of how to cook a traditional lamb seekh kebab, although you are free to use your favourite meat as an alternative for this starter.

Shimla Spice – established in 1998, and with its flagship restaurant in Keighley – was the vision of three brothers, who from a very early age wanted to make a name for themselves in the culinary world.

They began their quest in the highly competitive London restaurant scene and worked their way up to head chefs and managers, before returning ‘home’ to Keighley and setting up their first eatery.

It was an instant success and its reputation mushroomed.

The brothers opened a second restaurant in Shipley in 2006, with a launch event attended by Chico, of X Factor fame. And this year will see the opening of a 200-seater branch across the border in Burnley, Lancashire, with more restaurants to follow in the future.

Shimla Spice has won an array of national and regional awards, including Keighley News Restaurant of the Year twice.

It was the Spice Times ‘Best Indian Restaurant in Yorkshire’ in 2010, and was also among winners in the inaugural Keighley News-backed Keighley Business Awards 2013.

It’s latest triumph saw Shimla Spice named best restaurant in the Yorkshire Region and Restaurant of the Year at the highly-regarded English Curry Awards.

l E-mail us at keighleynews.co.uk with your favourite Indian recipe RECIPE Ingredients 500g lamb mince 1 medium-sized onion, chopped very fine 1 tbsp garlic paste 1 tbsp ginger paste 1/2 cup fresh chopped coriander Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 tbsps yogurt 1 tsp garam masala 2-3 green chillies, very finely chopped (to taste – not required) Salt to taste Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil for basting kebabs while cooking Method 1. Put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl 2. Use your hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly until they are well blended 3. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put into the refrigerator for one hour (the longer the better) 4. Soak bamboo skewers in water to prep for the kebabs 5. Remove from fridge and divide the mix into equal portions 6. Take each portion and form it into a long, sausage-like kebab, while pressing on to a skewer 7. Do this until the mix has firmly adhered to the skewer – put some oil on your hands to prevent meat from sticking to them 8. Do this until all the kebab mix is used up 9. Grill the kebabs – grilling on a coal fire gives them a lovely smoky flavour – basting with cooking oil, as required, until the meat is cooked, turning as often as required 10. Serve with fresh salad and mint chutney (a very simple sauce, but very popular, will be in one off the the ticket issues in the months to come)