I’ve had a ball this past week. My own recipe for beetroot kebabs has come back to me via friends of friends as a hit crowd-pleaser. Yes, it makes me very happy that people are connecting with it and no, it does not make me insecure that the recipe will no longer be MY OWN speciality. Recipe sharing is a deeply divided topic among people I know. Some won’t share their recipes because it brings them domestic validation and makes them the star of their table. Others will share in approximations - never the end to finish of what they did. I love people from both these categories and will not deny the pleasure I derive from getting them worked up about shelling THAT secret technique or THAT ingredient.
I, on the other hand, like to believe that I’m in the third category. Where years of indulgent cooking tell me that no two dishes will ever be the same, despite following a recipe to its T. Similar flavour, yes sure, but that’s it. How far do I take those boiling beets..or.. where do you draw the line on that crispy bottom? Whether you cook on the flame or an induction top, every version will take its own course.
And yet they will be the same, in essence. A warm and fuzzy feeling emanating from the ruby discs as you go to plate them. So go ahead - make them YOUR own and send me a love note when you get here:
Recipe
Makes 10-12 plump kebabs.
You will need:
2 large beetroots
1 cup soaked split brown chickpeas (Chana daal)
2 medium-sized onions
3-4 cloves garlic
1 inch sized piece of ginger
4-5 whole peppercorns
2 dry red chillies
1 bay leaf
2-3 tbsp dry roasted chickpea flour (besan)
Coriander, green chilli and lemon
Salt to taste and
Oil for frying
Method:
Peel and cut beetroots and 1 onion in quarters.
Put in a pressure cooker with split brown chickpeas + garlic+ ginger+ all whole spices. Add enough water to just cover everything.
Salt mildly (will adjust the seasoning later) and cook for 5-6 whistles on medium-high heat.
Open the lid once the pressure naturally releases. Strain any leftover liquid as well as the whole spices. Let it cool completely.
Then use a blender to grind into a smooth but bindable paste. Cover and sit inside the fridge for at least 1 hour. This will help the kebab hold its shape while frying.
Sit the mixture out at room temperature just before frying. Mix roasted chickpea flour, finely chopped coriander, chilli and the second onion into the beetroot mix. (Slice the onion as finely as possible to ensure a tight bind on the kebab).
Adjust seasoning according to taste.
Shape into kebabs and fry on a nonstick pan till both sides are crispy.
Everyone loves a generously sized kebab. Serve with a mint dip, salad and a good squeeze of lemon.
IF you have any kebab queries, put them in the comments below or photos of your dishes.
In the meantime, tell your friends!