Kala Chana Kabab | Vegetarian kabab

Kala chana kabab is an appetising and protein-rich snack. This vegetarian kabab is the perfect starter for any party. Serve them with a refreshing fried-garlic yoghurt dip.

Kababs or kebabs are a popular Indian snack. Most of them are made with meat but this scrumptious kabab is meatless. It is made with boiled kala chana which is also known as whole black chickpea and a variety of herbs and spices. I have served these veg kababs with a yoghurt based dip which is flavoured with fried garlic, lemon juice and black pepper.

Prep Time: 30 prep | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 40 min

Yield: 20 kababs

Ingredients:

For the kabab:

• 2 cups kala chana or black chickpea
• 2 medium-sized onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• ½ inch ginger, roughly chopped
• ½ cup coriander leaves, chopped
• ¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
• 2 green chillies, deseeded
• 8-9 tbsp fine besan, also known as gram flour or chickpea flour
• 2 tbsp kebab masala
• Salt to taste
• 4 cup water
• Oil for frying

For the kabab masala:

• 2 tsp black peppercorn
• 1tbsp coriander seeds
• 2-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 1 small black cardamom
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 8-10 cloves

For the Fried Garlic Yoghurt dip:

• ½ cup yoghurt
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, medium-sized
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp black pepper, crushed
• Salt to taste

Cooking Directions:

To cook the kala chana:

Wash and soak kala chana in enough water for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain the water and add the chana in a pressure cooker. Pour 4 cups of water. Secure the lid and cook over a high flame. After the first whistle, reduce the flame to low. Cook for 15 minutes or 6 whistles.

Turn the flame off and release the pressure. Remove the lid. Pour the boiled chana into a bowl and reserve ⅔ cup boiled chana water. Allow them to cool down. Then pour the boiled chana and chana water in a blender jar. Grind to a smooth paste.

To make the kebab masala:

Heat a non-stick pan over a low flame. Add black peppercorn, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, black cardamom and green cardamom pods. Dry roast all the whole spice for a few minutes until fragrant. Turn the heat off and transfer them to a plate. After they cool down, grind them to a fine powder.

To make the Fried Garlic Yoghurt dip:

Heat olive oil in a small tadka pan over low flame. Add a medium-sized clove of garlic. Fry until it becomes golden in colour. Turn the heat off and mash the garlic clove with a spoon in the pan.

Pour yoghurt in a bowl and whisk well. Pour mashed garlic clove with the oil, lemon juice, black pepper and salt. Mix well and pour it into the serving bowl.

To make kala chana kebab:

Heat the same non-stick pan over medium flame. Add besan or gram flour. Cook it for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until the raw smell goes away. Turn the flame off and keep it aside to cool down.

In a blender jar, add chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Grind to a smooth paste. 

In a large bowl, add chana paste, roasted basan, coriander-onion paste, 2 tablespoon kebab masala and salt. Combine everything well.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium flame. Apply a little oil on your palms, take a small portion of the kebab mixture, form a ball and flatten it. Carefully drop the kebabs in the hot oil.

Shallow fry until it becomes crisp and golden on both sides.

Serve the kala chan kebabs with fried garlic yoghurt dip, onion slices and lemon wedges.

Recipe Note:

If the kababs break while frying or flipping, then the kabab mixture is too moist. Add more roasted besan and mix well. Fry them over a medium-low flame. The kababs should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Take a look at some other recipes:

• GALOUTI KEBAB | MUTTON KEBAB RECIPE
• KOSHA MANGSHO | BENGALI MUTTON CURRY
• PIRI PIRI CHICKEN TIKKA | RESTAURANT-STYLE MURG TIKKA

Kala Chana Kabab | Vegetarian kabab

Sneha Paul

Kala chana kabab is an appetising and protein-rich snack. This vegetarian kabab is the perfect starter for any party. Serve them with a refreshing fried-garlic yoghurt dip.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian

Servings 20 kababs

Ingredients

  

For the kabab:

• 2 cups kala chana or black chickpea
• 2 medium-sized onions roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• ½ inch ginger roughly chopped
• ½ cup coriander leaves chopped
• ¼ cup mint leaves chopped
• 2 green chillies deseeded
• 8-9 tbsp fine besan also known as gram flour or chickpea flour
• 2 tbsp kebab masala
• Salt to taste
• 4 cup water
• Oil for frying

For the kabab masala:

• 2 tsp black peppercorn
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2- inch cinnamon stick broken in half
• 1 small black cardamom
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 8-10 cloves

For the Fried Garlic Yoghurt dip

• ½ cup yoghurt
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove medium-sized
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp black pepper crushed
• Salt to taste

Instructions

 

To cook the kala chana:

• Wash and soak kala chana in enough water for 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain the water and add the chana in a pressure cooker. Pour 4 cups of water. Secure the lid and cook over a high flame. After the first whistle, reduce the flame to low. Cook for 15 minutes or 6 whistles.
• Turn the flame off and release the pressure. Remove the lid. Pour the boiled chana into a bowl and reserve ⅔ cup boiled chana water. Allow them to cool down. Then pour the boiled chana and chana water in a blender jar. Grind to a smooth paste.

To make the kebab masala:

• Heat a non-stick pan over a low flame. Add black peppercorn, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, black cardamom and green cardamom pods. Dry roast all the whole spice for a few minutes until fragrant. Turn the heat off and transfer them to a plate. After they cool down, grind them to a fine powder.
• To make the Fried Garlic Yoghurt dip:
• Heat olive oil in a small tadka pan over low flame. Add a medium-sized clove of garlic. Fry until it becomes golden in colour. Turn the heat off and mash the garlic clove with a spoon in the pan.
• Pour yoghurt in a bowl and whisk well. Pour mashed garlic clove with the oil, lemon juice, black pepper and salt. Mix well and pour it into the serving bowl.

To make kala chana kebab:

• Heat the same non-stick pan over medium flame. Add besan or gram flour. Cook it for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until the raw smell goes away. Turn the flame off and keep it aside to cool down.
• In a blender jar, add chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Grind to a smooth paste.
• In a large bowl, add chana paste, roasted basan, coriander-onion paste, 2 tablespoon kebab masala and salt. Combine everything well.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium flame. Apply a little oil on your palms, take a small portion of the kebab mixture, form a ball and flatten it. Carefully drop the kebabs in the hot oil.
• Shallow fry until it becomes crisp and golden on both sides.
• Serve the kala chan kebabs with fried garlic yoghurt dip, onion slices and lemon wedges.

Notes

If the kababs break while frying or flipping, then the kabab mixture is too moist. Add more roasted besan and mix well. Fry them over a medium-low flame. The kababs should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Keyword kabab recipe, veg kabab

If you do try this recipe, please share your experience with me by posting a picture of the dish using #temptingtreat and @temptingtreat on Instagram or you can also give your feedback in the comments section below.
Happy Cooking!