Masoor Dal Kebabs or Tikkis

Masoor dal kebabs are popular in north India and the fragrant flavouring of ginger, garlic, coriander and garam masala make it a delicious addition to any meal. They’re so versatile you can have them as a snack, for breakfast, or for lunch or dinner or even as a starter.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200g) whole masoor
• 1 medium to large onion, grated – about 1 cup
• 1 medium to large potato, grated – about 1 cup
• 1 medium carrot, grated – about 1 cup
• 1 cup cabbage, grated/finely chopped
• ½ cup cashew nuts or ½ cup almond flour
• 1 inch of ginger, roughly chopped
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped or 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or 2 green chillies (increase or decrease as per your preference)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• Juice of 1 lime or 1 tsp amchur powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Cold pressed groundnut oil for frying

Method

1. Wash and soak the masoor for at least four to six hours or till it breaks easily if cut with your nails. If it doesn’t, soak it longer or boil it for 5 minutes on high heat with half a cup of water and until it is soft. This is an important step of the recipe as it won’t grind well if it isn’t soft enough.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a thick bottomed steel pot and add the chopped and grated vegetables. Sauté them on medium to high heat till they have lost most of their moisture. Set aside to cool down.
3. Blend the masoor, ginger, garlic, and coriander without adding any water till it is a thick paste like consistency. Scrape down the sides after each short period of blending.
4. Place the masoor mixture and the vegetables in a mixing bowl, Add the almond/cashew flour, salt, garam masala, red chilli powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, and lime juice and mix it well. Then add the baking soda and mix it all well again.
5. Put two drops of oil on your palm and fingers and rub it all over to prevent the mixture from sticking to it.
6. Take about a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball and press it gently to make a patty/tikki or roll it into a cylinder and then flatten it, shaping one end into a pointed tip. This mixture makes about 30 medium sized tikkis or kebabs.
7. Heat oil in a shallow frying pan and check how hot the oil is by putting in a small ball of the mixture. If it doesn’t bubble, the oil is not hot enough, and if it browns immediately, it is too hot.
8. Place as many tikkis/kebabs as possible in the pan and fry for around 3 to 4 minutes on each side till they are a golden brown.
9. Serve hot with a side of sliced onions, tomatoes and a mint chutney or tomato sauce.