Categories: Garam Masala TuesdaysIndian

Garam Masala Tuesdays: Mint kebabs

Minced chicken kebabs flavored with fresh mint. Great to serve as a gluten free appetizer or used to make a meatball salad.

Yesterday, a friend of mine who is in India, asked me whether I was happy here and do I see myself settling here. She is thinking of moving to the States, but loves India too much to ever think of settling anywhere else and wanted my take on the whole thing.

To be honest, if given a chance I would move to India in a heartbeat. Not to discard the lifestyle I have here, its great. I have great friends, without whom I don’t think I could have lasted as long as I did in this place and I would definitely miss the luxury of certain food items available here, especially when it comes to baking. I will aslo miss the TV shows that you get to see as soon as they premier instead of hoping and praying for the Indian channels to think that the show is worthy of broadcasting in India and then only getting to see it.

But that said, India has always suited me more. They say you always do better in your habitat and well, India is my habitat.

Even when I was in Moscow, even though I had a much busier life there, I literally craved India. So while Indians my age looked at places abroad for higher studies, I knew whatever I chose to do, I had to do in India.

Staying abroad was never in my plan.

I remember a friend of my granddad’s, who is a fortune teller, told my parents that I would get married to someone settled abroad. To that I would always think fortune tellers know crap. Well, guess who was proved wrong (by the way I still think fortune tellers know crap- the same fortune teller had told my mom that I would be a boy, and I am most definitely NOT). But then, fortunately for me V made it clear from the beginning that eventually he plans to move back to India, the only thing is I thought it would have happened by now.

Anyway, this ain’t bad either. 🙂

And food like this helps immensely.

These kebabs are just great. Not only they come together in a jiffy, they are succulent, juicy and oh so flavorful!

It was a task to keep my hands off them while taking the pictures for the blog. As soon as I managed some shots, I nibbled on five one after the other. And then some more a little later. And a few more after some time. I had so many that I am now feeling sick.

I have made this recipe plenty times and somehow forget where I originally saw it. I did modify it a bit , but it’s pretty close to the original. So if it’s yours I am sorry for not giving due credit!

I made these in a meatball shape, but you could make them in any kebab shape you like. I plan to use these meatballs in an indian based gravy and that’s why I chose the shape.

Sprinkled with some lemon juice and some chaat masala, these are great as appetizers. And since they come together so easily, bookmarking this recipe would be the best thing you do to yourself today.

Garam Masala Tuesdays: Mint kebabs

Recipe Type: appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Author: Shumaila

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: depends on the size I got 30 meatballs

Minced chicken kebabs flavored with fresh mint. Great to serve as a gluten free appetizer or used to make a meatball salad.

Ingredients

400-500 gms ground chicken
2 tbsp corn starch/ corn flour
Juice of 1 lime
a pinch baking soda
about 2 tsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
2-3 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated (you could also use a tbsp each of garlic paste and ginger paste)
depending on how hot you want add green chillies ( I use 2 if I am serving these to foreigners, otherwise I use 4-5 and I also add a tsp of red chilli powder which you could skip depending on how hot you want them to be)
a pinch garam masala (I use a homemade one that I have for meats, I will post a recipe for it soon)
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
oil to shallow fry

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients except for the onions and the oil required for frying. Allow the mix to rest for at least half an hour in the refrigerator. You can keep it covered overnight in the refrigerator as well.
When ready, mix the onions in with a spoon.
Divide the mixture into small handfuls and roll into desired kebab shape.
Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the kebabs over low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes, turning them occasionally (so that all sides are cooked). (I always cook one- two and check the seasoning and if I feel anything is amiss make adjustments)
Sprinkle with chaat masala and lemon juice and serve with sliced onions.

Note:

You could also bake or grill these.
You could also use these to make a salad. Make a dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. In a bowl add salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, gruyere cheese , cucumber slices. Add the mint chicken kebabs and drizzle the dressing on top. Serve immediately.

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