Bhaditraka Skewers
पृष्ठवंशसमुद्भूतं शुद्धं मांसं प्रगृह्यते । घनसारप्रमाणानि कृत्वा खण्डानि मूलकैः ॥ ६२ ॥ विध्वा तु बहुशस्तानि बहुरन्ध्राणि कारयेत् । हिङ्ग्वार्द्रकरसंयुक्तं सैन्धवेन च पेषयेत् ॥ ६३ ॥ शूलप्रोतानि कृत्वा तान्यङ्गारेषु प्रतापयेत् । घृतेन सिञ्चेत्पाकज्ञो वारंवारं विवर्तयेत् ॥ ६४ ॥ सिद्धेषु मारिचं चूर्णं विकिरेत्सैन्धवान्वितम् । नाम्ना भडित्रकं रुच्यं लघु पथ्यं मनोहरम् ॥ ६५ ॥
Clean meat that comes from beside the backbone is taken. Having made pieces of the measure of camphor with mūlakas, he should pierce them many times over and make them full of holes. And he should pound the meat, combined with the juices of asafoetida and fresh ginger, together with rock salt. Having threaded them on skewers, he should roast them over the embers; one who knows cooking should baste them with ghee and turn them over again and again. When they are done, he should scatter pepper powder mixed with rock salt over them. By name this is bhaḍitraka: appetizing, light, wholesome, delightful.
Ingredients
- 750 g lamb loin, goat loin, or pork tenderloin, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 30 ml fresh ginger juice
- ¼ tsp asafoetida dissolved in 30 ml warm water
- 1½ tsp rock salt, divided
- 40 g ghee, melted
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Method
- Pierce each piece of meat repeatedly with a skewer or fork.
- Mix the ginger juice, asafoetida-water, and half the salt. Rub into the meat and refrigerate for 2–4 hours.
- Thread onto skewers and grill over medium-hot charcoal, turning and basting frequently with ghee. Without a grill, broil them on low on a rack set over a tray, turning and basting until cooked through.
- Cook to the appropriate safe temperature for the chosen meat, then rest for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with pepper and the remaining salt.