Fingers Are For Burning

Kale Chane Ke Kebabs are perfect vegetarian appetizer. Made with Bengal Gram or kale chane as we call it and a few blend of spices, these are melt in mouth and so flavorful.

Hello, beautiful people!! Hope you guys are doing awesome. The month of February just started and we are already half way through and no soon warmer days will here, I am so waiting for cool days to go away. Long, bright sunny days just make me so much happy. And the month of February is sp much special to us because we celebrate our wedding anniversary on 5^th.  And this time we had nice gathering at home and whole loads of yumm food. This time it was kebabs and biryani on the menu along with Dal Bukhara, salan and a few other things. Coconut pineapple cake and kesar phirni for the dessert, meetha paan to end the meal. The guests absolutely loved everything but it was the kebabs that stole the show, especially kale chane ke kebabs which everyone loved. We are big time kebab lovers and this one is a favorite at home.

Remember the first time I had kale chane ke kebab at a restaurant in Mumbai a few years back and I was totally floored. They were perfectly spiced, melt in mouth and they had my heart. The vegetarian shami kebabs or kale chane ke kebabs whatever you might call them, these are usually not on the regular ones and difficult to find them while eating out.  And then I never tried them at home some years back as I wasn’t much into cooking. These are easy to make and perfect vegetarian appetizer and they taste heavenly.

Everytime you talk about kebabs anything that comes to mind is centered on meat and it gets difficult to make delicious kebabs for vegans as the regular paneer tikkas and dahi kebabs  become quite boring if we want to serve something really good. These vegetarian shami kebabs or kale chane ke kebabs are good option. They are not only delicious but healthy as well as these are packed with protein as we make them with Bengal gram.

I was never really fond of kale chane except the dry and sautéed in bare minimum spices you get to eat during Navratris, they just taste heaven with crisp puris. Then these kebabs happened, I mean I love Bengal Gram now. They are so full of protein, vitamins, minerals and so healthy. I’m glad my kids love this legumes in all forms.

The process is simple for making these. I have always preferred to soak my legumes overnight but Instant Pot has made my life so much easy. You want to serve these but forgot to soak chana’s then no need to worry at all, all you need to do is cook them for an hour in instant pot for that perfectly cooked chana’s

Now I have boiled the chana’s along with some chana dal (yellow lentils) and salt. Then sauté chopped onions, ginger, garlic until brown, add all the fragrant spices and saute well (doing this helps the legumes to absorb all the spices and become flavorful). Allow to cool and then mash and mash. I’ve add grated paneer which makes the kebabs really moist you can add mawa as well. Bread crumbs for binding. The kebab mixture has to be thick always else they will not that that perfect texture will keep on breaking while frying.  

The kebab mixture can always made ahead, just shape and refrigerate. Get them to room temperature before frying.

I have shallow fried the kebabs on cast iron griddle which gives makes them beautiful crisp on the outside while still melt in mouth.

Serve then with coriander chutney, thick yogurt mixed with grated cucumber and some onion rings.

Our favorite vegetarian appetizer, healthy and way to delicious.

You can also enjoy them in your wraps, burgers (they make very healthy patty option) or just in pita pockets and the options are just endless.

I’ve tempted you enough, isn’t. So grab the recipe, start cooking and thank me later.

Much Love

K