Hara bhara kababs

This is a very affordably made-at-home recipe.   We have replaced the potatoes with chickpeas (kabuli chana) to increase the nutritional content.  Also, they can be either baked, air-fried or shallow fried.

You can choose your veggies to add into the recipe.  Ideally, peas, carrots, cauliflower, spinach are added.  The whole point is to make a healthy version of the snack.

The addition of chaat masala and amchur gives a nice zest to the kababs.  You could also add a dash of lime juice.  The vitamin C in lime helps in the absorption of the iron present in spinach and also in the other vegetables.

Here, we have served the kababs as an option for lunch.   Alongside is a crunchy red cabbage and tomato salad, which is tossed with olive oil, honey and lemon juice dressing.  Raisins and walnuts are thrown-in to give an amazingly rich taste to the salad.

And a tall chilled glass of orange juice with chia seeds is on the side.  It is just what you need to quench your thirst after this meal.   What more can one ask for on a hot summer afternoon.  All the flavours are complimenting each other beautifully.

The trick is to eat WELL and not eat LESS.  That way, you can sustain your healthy diet and not feel like you are missing out on your favourite foods.

So, make your tasty version of this snack today.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch palak leaves / spinach
• 3 green chillies (finely chopped)
• ¼ cup cauliflower (finely chopped)
• ¾ cup beans (chopped)
• ¾ cup peas (fresh / frozen)
• 1 cup chick peas (kabuli chana)  (boiled and mashed)
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp roasted besan (gram flour)
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp dry mango powder
• 1 tsp chaat powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• salt to taste
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (to coat)
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Steam all the veggies (carrots, cauliflower, beans, peas)
• Blanch the spinach, let it cool. Then squeeze the excess water and blend it into a puree.
• In a big bowl take the mashed steamed veggies, pureed spinach, boiled and grated potatoes
• Add the dried spices, chopped green chillies, breadcrumbs, roasted besan and chopped coriander leaves. Season with salt to taste.
• Grease hands with oil and make a small patties.
• Cover the patties with bread crumbs
• Now deep fry the prepared patties into hot oil.
• Fry on medium hot oil, stirring occasionally.
• Drain the fried hara bhara kabab onto the kitchen towel.
• Finally, serve hara bhara kabab hot.

Handy Tips :

1. Ensure the kabab mixture is not too moist otherwise it will break while frying.
2. If the moisture in the kabab mix is more, you can adjust it by adding a bit more of breadcrumbs and roasted besan.
3. In case, you find there is a need to add more besan or breadcrumbs, make sure you also add the spices adequately, else the kababs will be bland.
4. You can even bake them or air fry them as a healthier option.
5. You can make the patties ahead of time and keep them in the freezer for upto a week. That way you save time and you can fry them whenever you want to eat or serve to guests.