How to make the perfect Chickpea Herb Kebabs?

Choose your Chickpeas Wisely – Start with well cooked chickpeas. If you’re using canned chickpeas make sure to drain and rinse them thoroughly to remove excess salt and preservatives. For best texture, cook dried chickpeas until they’re tender but not mushy.
The Right Balance of Herbs – Herbs are a key to making these kebabs burst with flavour. This recipe uses a combination of a variety of herbs and spices for the vibrant taste.
Bind it Right – Binding the mixture correctly ensures your kebabs hold together well while cooking. Chickpea flour (Besan) is a great binder that also enhances the flavour. If your mixture feels too wet, adding a bit more of chickpea flour can help.
Shape with Care – When shaping the kebabs, aim for uniform size and thickness. This ensures even cooking and a consistent texture. Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking and that makes the shaping easier.
Perfect Frying Technique – Heat oil in a non-stick skillet/pan over medium heat before adding the kebabs. This ensures they cook evenly and develop a nice, crispy crust. Don’t overcrowd the pan – give each kebab space to cook properly. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side.
Serve Fresh and Hot – For best taste, serve them fresh and hot. Pair them with a tangy green chutney, a cooling yogurt drip or just ketchup. They also go well in wraps, sandwiches or as a part of a salad.

Storing

You can make the mixture up to 2 days in advance and store in an air tight container. Add the onions just before cooking the kebabs.

Chickpea Herb Kebabs

Recipe by thecrumbstoriesCourse: Appetizers

Servings

servings

Prep time

hour

Cooking time

minutes

A Mediterranean inspired kebab thats perfect for a weeknight snack or appetizer. These Chickpea Herb kebabs are a perfect blend of flavours and textures packed with the goodness of chickpeas and fresh herbs.

Ingredients

For Boiling Chickpeas
300 g Chickpeas, raw or 2 cups of cooked Chickpeas
5 Peppercorns
3-4 Cloves
1 inch Ginger, crushed
1 tbsp Salt
1 glass water for soaking and boiling
For the Kebab Mixture
1 large Onion, finely chopped
2 inch Ginger, finely chopped
2 Green chillies, finely chopped
1 Tomato, chopped
1 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Onion seeds
2 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Carom seeds
8 sprigs Coriander, finely chopped
10 Curry leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsp Roasted peanuts, crushed
Juice of half a lemon
1 1/2 tbsp Chickpea flour/ Gram flour / Besan
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Oil for shallow frying

Directions

Prepare the Chickpeas:
Soak the chickpeas with peppercorns, cloves, crushed ginger, and 1 tbsp salt for at least 4 hours.
After soaking, boil the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with the same water for about 20 minutes until tender. Allow to cool. Alternatively, you could also use canned chickpeas.
Grind the boiled chickpeas into a coarse paste.
Prepare the Kebab Mixture:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chickpeas with finely chopped onion, ginger, green chillies, and tomato.
Add sesame seeds, cumin seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds, and carom seeds.
Mix in the finely chopped coriander and curry leaves.
Add crushed roasted peanuts, lemon juice and gram flour.
Shape & Cook the Kebabs
Take a tablespoon of the mixture in your palm and flatten with fingers to shape.
Place kebabs on a hot non stick pan with a little oil. Cook on medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour on both sides. It should take about 3-4 minutes to cook each side.
Alternatively, you can also bake the kebabs. Brush them with oil and bake them at 180 degrees Celsius in a fan based oven for about 20 mins, flipping halfway through.