broccolli & cheddar seekh kebab

Kebabs always remind me that we eat with our eyes first!  The same foods as cutlets or patties or arranged neatly on a plate simply lack the allure of foods on a skewer.  When I was growing up, the only kebabs I came across were made of meat or chicken and so I never tasted them.  I used to see them being made though and loved to watch the process of putting it on a skewer and then onto hot coals which sputtered, sending little red sparks flying in the air as the kebabs cooked.  A popular street food, it was fun to watch the makeshift stall come up in a jiffy; and as with all street foods, a large crowd start to gather around the vendor.

It was only a few years back that I came across vegetarian versions and tried my hand at it.  Which soon became quite a popular dish among my friends and I made it several times since.  Then I started thinking of something different that would be just as good and relatively healthy to double up as an after-school snack for my teen.  I had broccoli at home and since cheddar is such a natural pairing with it, the idea of this kebab came about.

In reality this is more like a greens and cheddar kebab.  Because in addition to the broccoli, there is also spinach, cilantro and fresh mint.  Cooked chana dal and some potato act as a binder but instead of using a boiled potato, I used some potato flour.  The challenge especially with vegetarian kebabs is preventing them from getting dry and crumbly and although adding more moisture would solve that, they would be impossible to shape.  The cheddar cheese served that purpose very well and also gave a wonderful, very subtle flavor.

You can bake these in the oven or cook them on the stovetop.  Both versions are equally good.   I have made these twice and the last picture is of the stovetop version.  I used bamboo chopsticks but you can certainly use skewers and if cooking on the stovetop, you can skip the step of soaking them.

These taste great served as is, with some mint chutney or you can serve them along with naans and some salad to make a nice wrap.  Speaking of chutneys, I have to mention the neon pink one in the pictures:)  It seemed like such a great idea in my head – that beetroot and honey-mustard yogurt dip!  Since I really didn’t have any recipe I was following, I think I used a heavy hand with the beetroot and the whole thing turned into this neon, almost fluorescent pink!!  It tastes pretty good so if that idea sounds appealing to you, I would suggest adding the beetroot to the yogurt a little bit at a time until you get the shade of pink you are happy with 🙂

Broccoli & Cheddar Seekh Kebab

Makes 12 kebabs

Printable recipe

2 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, loosely packed

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated with large holes of grater

1/2 cup chana dal

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp potato flour

1 thai green chilli

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tbsp canola, peanut or vegetable oil
salt to taste
Chaat masla, sliced onions and lemon for garnishIf baking in the oven, soak the skewers/chopsticks for a couple of hours in cold water.

Rinse and soak the chana dal  for about an hour in some water.Steam the chopped broccoli without added water in a microwave-safe bowl for 3 minutes.  Keep aside.

Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a small skillet and add the garlic.  When it starts to soften, added the chopped cilantro and mint.  Stir until it has wilted completely and keep aside.

Transfer the chana dal to a saucepan, add some salt and bring it to a boil on medium heat.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the dal is cooked but still al dente.

Drain in a colander and transfer to the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse it in the processor until it looks crumbly.  Add the broccoli, spinach, the garlic-mint-cilantro mixture, raw pumpkin seeds, cheddar cheese, green chillies, garam masala and salt.  Pulse a few times again until everything comes together.

Transfer to a bowl and add the potato flour.  Mix well and add some salt if needed.  The whole thing will come together like a very stiff dough.

Make twelve portions of the dough and roll them into cylinders.  Lightly grease your hands and take one portion.  Holding the skewer or chopstick in one hand, pierce it through the cylinder.  Then slowly start pressing and spreading it onto the skewer.  Pinch the top and bottom ends onto the skewer so that they are anchored.

Keep aside on plate and cover with a damp paper towel or cloth.

If using oven, preheat it to 425 degrees F.  Lightly grease a baking sheet and arrange the kebabs on it.  Brush with some oil and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.  Start watching them from about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with chaat masala as soon as they come out.

If using the stovetop, heat a skillet and lightly grease it with a tsp of oil.  Put the kebabs and start cooking them on medium heat.  Keep rotating them after a couple of minutes so that they are evenly brown. Brush them with a little oil during that time.  Sprinkle with chaat masala and sliced onions.

*If making ahead, store them in the fridge and warm them in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes.  Serve sprinkled with chaat masala.

Mint-Yogurt Chutney:

1 cup fresh mint
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 thai green chili
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
salt to taste

Blend everything except the yogurt to a fine paste.  Add the yogurt and salt to taste.  Thin it down with some water if needed.

Beet-Honey-Mustard Dip

2 tbsp cooked beetroot, grated
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp black mustard, fine or coarsely powder
1 tsp canola oil
salt to taste

Mix everything and sprinkle with some mustard powder.