Chana Dal Seekh Kebab

These super yummy and flavorful kebabs were on my to-cook list for quite some time, and I have no idea what took me so long to publish this easy and simple Chana dal seekh kebab recipe. Mixed lentils and veggies combined together give these seekh kebabs a wonderful mix of flavors and is a perfect addition to any Indian meal. They are very healthy kebabs that are packed with nutrients and pan-cooked in very little oil. Chana dal kebab was on my tonight’s dinner menu and was paired up with Dal tadka and Kadai paneer. All in all our meal tonight was hearty, robust, and loaded with flavor! But these kebabs can be eaten as a snack or you can serve them as a finger food at your next dinner party. 

RECIPE DETAIL – Drain and grind soaked dals and veggies coarsely in a food processor. If using a mixer/blender to grind dal, please DO NOT add veggies to the mixer. It will make the dal mixture runny and difficult to bind, add finely chopped veggies later. Grounded dal mixture should be coarse in texture and feel dry. Secret to a soft chana dal kebab lies in how fine the dal is grounded. Add spices to this mixture and finally add besan (and veggies) to bind everything together. Feel free to add veggies of your choice. I have pan cooked these kebabs but as per one’s taste you can choose to deep fry these kebabs. Enjoy it with your favorite chutney.

This recipe yields 12- 14 kebabs but my impatient munchkins ate a few long before I could get my camera ready to shoot. 😉 Team these kebabs with any meal and make a simple dinner turn into a restaurant style dinning.

Chana Dal Seekh Kebab

4.41 from 5 votes

Aromatic spices and veggie- lentil combo give these seekh kebabs a wonderful mix of flavors!! Simple and exotic appetizer recipe!

Prep: 2 hours hrs

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 12 MEDIUM KEBABS

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

1x2x3x

KEBAB INGREDIENTS

• ▢ 1/2 cup Chana dal OR Bengal Gram lentils
• ▢ 1/4 cup Urad ki dhuli dal (White urad dal)
• ▢ A small piece of Cabbage
• ▢ 1 small Green bell pepper
• ▢ 1 small Onion
• ▢ 10-11 pieces of Baby carrots
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Green cilantro
• ▢ 1 small Green chili
• ▢ 1-2 clove of Garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon or small piece of ginger

KEBAB SPICES

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoon Coriander powder (sukha dhaniya)
• ▢ 2-3 thin strands of Mace or 1/2 tsp. of Mace powder (javitri)
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder (Jaiphel)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Coarsely crushed black peppercorns
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin seeds
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Elaichi powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder (adjust accordingly)
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ 1/2 cup Besan (Chickpea flour)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Oil to cook Kebabs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Chaat Masala - to sprinkle on top
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Lemon Juice - to sprinkle on top

INSTRUCTIONS

• Soak chana dal for 2-3 hours.
  
• Likewise soak Urad dal for 2-3 hours.
  
• Assemble: all the other ingredients.
  
• And veggies.
  
• Wash and drain dal. Make sure it is completely free of water. Add it to a food processor.
  
• Add veggies. If using a mixer to grind dal, then please do not add veggies to the mixer. It will make the mixture runny and difficult to handle. Instead finely chop the veggies and add it to the grounded dal later.
  
• Grind dal into a fine grainy paste.
  
• Add spices one by one and give it a fine churn.
  
• If using mixer to grind dal then transfer it to a separate bowl, add spices and finely chopped/grated veggies.
  
• Adjust seasonings.
  
• Transfer it to a bowl and add besan. Mix it well.
  
• Besan will bind the mixture and make it somewhat thick. Meaning the mixture will still be soft and gooey to touch and that is what will make softer kebabs.
  
• Take some mixture in hand. Please excuse my pictures as suddenly Mother nature decided to bless us with some rain and cloudy weather. 
  
• And start shaping the kebabs. If you are finding it difficult to shape the kebabs then apply some oil in your palms and try shaping them. Keep the shaped kebabs in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. One way is to spread these kebabs on a wet skewers and pan cook them and another method is to shape them like kebabs and pan cook them.
  
• After 30 minutes, take them out. Heat oil in a kadai, add kebabs and start cooking on a medium flame.
  
• Cook until well browned, stirring occasionally,for about 10-15 minutes.
  
• Veggie seekh kebabs are ready. Sprinkle lemon juice and chaat masala.
  
• Serve hot with your favorite chutney.
  

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided above is approximate. Variations may exist due to the ingredients/brands used. These numbers should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietician.

Author: Ruchi

Course: Snacks And Appetizers

Cuisine: Indian

Are you Going to make this recipe? Take a picture and mention @ruchiskitchen! I would LOVE to see how it turned out for you!