Begin typing your search...
Veg galouti kebab: A dish inspired by memories of Delhi’s street food
Life is just a valuable collection of memories — be it events, food or relationships.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
The whole story comes to life when something sparks off a memory through an aroma, a familiar place or an incident. Just the other day, one of the boys I had trained in cooking named Darshan Dabral called me up from Africa. He wanted the recipe of a particular kebab that we had prepared with kidney beans (rajma) and garbanzo beans (white chana).
I had taken inspiration from the galouti kebab to create the healthy vegetarian delicious kebab using beans. Red kidney beans are said to have originated in Peru, grown in Mexico, and brought to India by the Portuguese traders to the south western part of the country. Later, the hilly regions and Jammu became popular for growing these beans, becoming a standard part of a north Indian meal.
My mind drifted back to my school days in Delhi Public School on Mathura Road in Delhi. Along with my best friend Sangeeta Chopra, whose father owned a prestigious book store in the upscale Khan Market, I partook in many adventures. One of the most memorable ones was our forbidden visit to the Bengali Market to eat kebabs and drool over kulfi.
During lunch hour, we would slip out, a gang of five — Anita, Ahmed, Raghav, Sangeeta and I — we were all in the same class and were on the same wavelength of thoughts and likes. On many days, a bid dabba of aromatic food would arrive from Sangeeta’s home. The memory of that food and kebabs still set off my taste buds to tingle. Khan chacha of Bengali Market was as famous as his kebabs were. It was there that I first tasted a vegetarian version of the soft galouti kebabs.
They were made using rajma, potatoes and would melt in mouth as one ate them with side of mint chutney. During those days, it took just one rupee for four people to enjoy such delicacies and also get a cold cola later. When I began cooking years later, I created my own version of galouti kebabs by adding white chana and black chana, along with the rajma. So now, it has been turned into a high protein snack. Instead of deep frying, it was done either on a tawa or an air fryer. The tastiest and crispiest ones are the ones which are deep fried though, and I’m sharing that recipe with you all.
Kebabs originated in Turkey and were brought to India by the invading Mughals. They became so popular after the use of local spices and ingredients. So, enjoy this healthy vegetarian kebab this winter at your home, for it is rare to find it anywhere.
Chana and Rajma kebabs
Recipe
Preparation time: Overnight soaking
Cooking time: 25 min
Serves: 4
Calories per serve: 120 cal per piece
Ingredients
Rajma (kidney beans): 1 cup soaked overnight
White chana: 1/4 cup soaked overnight
Black chana: 1/4 cup soaked overnight
Potatoes: 1 boiled and mashed
Besan: 2 tbsp
Onions: 2
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Mint chutney: 1 tbsp
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Pomegranate seeds powder: 1 tsp
Fresh lime: 1
Coriander: 1/4 cup finely chopped
Green chillies: 6 finely chopped
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Brown sugar: 1 tsp
Cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf: 1 piece each
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp
Pink salt: to taste
Mustard/sesame oil: 3 tbsp
Hung yogurt: 1 tbsp
Method
- Boil the soaked rajma, white and black chana together with bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom for 40 minutes or three whistles in the pressure cooker.
- Once cooked, mash it into a paste, adding salt and asafoetida. Set the mixture aside.
- Take a deep bottom kadai, and pour in 2 tbsp of oil. Sauté the besan in it till it crumbles and gives a nice colour. Do not burn the flour.
- Take a big bowl and mix the beans mixture, mashed potatoes, besan, hung curd, onions, ginger garlic paste, green chillies, coriander, mint chutney, brown sugar and all the dry masalas.
- Squeeze in fresh lime into it and add salt as per requirement.
- Make flat rounds of the mixture using your hands and keep aside.
- Place a non-stick tawa on the stove and pour 2 tbsp of oil on it. Once hot, place the kebabs on it gently.
- Cook on low heat. When one side of the kebab has turned reddish brown, turn over and cook evenly on the other side as well.
- Remove the kebabs from the pan once cooked.
- Serve hot with fresh mint and tamarind chutneys.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the beans in a vessel and never directly in a pressure cooker, as there is a tendency to burn if the water dries out
- Add cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf while boiling the beans for a flavoursome dish
— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of ‘Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes’
Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!
Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!
Click here for iOS
Click here for Android
Next Story
