Recipes: An Affair with Kebabs

Veggie Delights

Indian cuisine is very rich and varied. The cuisines of various regions of this country differ in style and content, characterized chiefly by the use of their typical spices, condiments, and method of preparation.

When we talk of grilled food we think of steaks, chops, and chicken. Despite how easy it is to grill up veggies, most people just don’t think about it, simply because they aren’t sure how to go about it.

Here are some tantalizing recipes for succulent veggie kebabs. Easy to make, they can be half done and stored for some days in the freezer by wrapping them up tightly in a re sealable bag. Even marinated kebabs can be put on a wet bamboo sticks and saved for future use.

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Kebabs are a favorite snack through out India and can be made with both vegetables and meat. The sizzling hot kebabs with their enticing aroma of yummy melt texture can make your salivary gland work over time.

Initially kebab meant mutton, but now we have so many options for all those who stand for pure vegetarian cuisine.

Kebabs, rightly prepared and served with the right chutneys, are not only tasty but highly nutritious. The taste and food-value of the kebab depends on the freshness of the vegetables, the size, marinade and the right degree of cooking.

Each preparation has a distinct taste because of the different texture of meats and the varying fragrance of the different combination of spices used in the marinade. They are easily digestible too. Kebabs can be cooked in a Tandoor (clay oven), an open iron grill, on a griddle plate, and shallow fried or deep. The kebab should be slowly roasted over a slow flame to let the spices seep into it. Charcoal grilling ensures that.

1.RAW BANANA KEBABS

Ingredients

3 Raw Bananas

1 cup chopped onion

Green chilies – 2 (finely chopped)

Fresh coriander leaves – 1/4cup (chopped)

Garam masala powder – 1 teaspoon(cumin seeds, black cardamom, cinnamon, mace, black pepper corns, cloves and dried ginger, all ground to form a smooth powder)

Salt – to taste

Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Roasted semolina – for rolling the kebabs

3-4 tablespoon Oil – for shallow frying

Method:

Boil the raw bananas, peal and mash them.

In a large bowl add mashed bananas and all the other ingredients.
Mix well.

Make flat cutlets and shallow fry them in an open pan till golden brown from both sides.

Or

Make cylindrical kebabs .Put them on skewer and grill till done.

Serve with mint chutney (sauce) or salsa sauce.

2.SPICY CORN KEBABS

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Corn Kernels

2 Big Potatoes (boiled)

2 Onions (chopped)

1/2 cup Capsicum

21/2cm Ginger (chopped)

3 Green Chilies (chopped)

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying

Method

Crush the corn kernels in a grinder to get a coarse paste.

Mix this coarse paste with potatoes, onion, ginger, capsicum, green chilies and salt.

Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape them as kebabs.

Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the kebabs till they turn golden & crisp.

Take them out with a slotted spoon. Drain excess oil on absorbent paper.

Serve hot with mint chutney or salsa sauce.

Both these kebabs can be rolled into pita bread or Rumali Rotis to make a veggie kebab roll.