Fish kababs are made from a mixture of fish, chana dal, onion, ginger, garlic and a variety of other spices. In my recipe, you will learn about the steps to make fish kababs at home. Read on.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Fish kababs are delightful snack item and a crowd pleaser.
- Serve the kababs hot with a cool mint yogurt sauce, sweet and tangy tamarind chutney, fresh salad, fresh lemon wedges, or creamy cucumber raita.
- Fish kababs taste juicy, spicy, and savory.
- Similar taste as fish kababs is offered by fish tikka, vegetable seekh kababs. paneer tikka, lamb kofta and fish balls.
The Ingredients:
- 500 gm fish (boneless, any variety)
To marinate the fish:
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
To fry the fish:
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
For the stuffing:
- ½ cup split chickpeas (chana dal) (soaked for half an hour)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp chat masala powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 piece onion (medium size, cut into four pieces)
- 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 150 ml water (¾ cup)
- 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
- 1 cup onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp mint leaves (finely chopped)
- 2 pieces green chilies (finely chopped)
- 1 piece egg (for binding)
To fry the kababs:
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
I tasted this at a folk music festival in Hyderabad. The cook had a tiny tent behind the stage, and smoke poured out as he worked over hot coals. The smell drew me in. What I ate was both grounding and vibrant.
I asked him about it, and he pointed to a pile of ingredients and said, “No fixed recipe, just feel.” I tried the same approach. My first version was awful. The second, better. Now, it’s something I make when I’m creating a playlist or painting—food and art blending with instinct.
How to Make Fish Kabab? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take 500 gm of boneless fish of any variety in a bowl. Add ½ tsp regular table salt, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, and 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice to it. Mix it and set it aside for 10 minutes.
(Pro tip: This will help the fish release water and get rid of its customary smell).
Step 2: Take 1 tbsp of cooking oil in a frying pan and heat it. Put all the pieces of fish one by one in it to fry them on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 3: When done, put them in a pressure cooker along with all its oil. Also, add ½ cup of split chickpeas (chana dal) to it that is soaked for half an hour. Then add ½ tsp of salt, 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of red chili flakes, ½ tsp of black pepper powder, 1 tsp chat masala powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 medium-size onion cut into four pieces, 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste, 2 pieces of bay leaves, and ¾ cup or 150 ml of water in it. Cook it for 10 minutes on a high flame till the first whistle and then on a medium flame.
Step 4: When done, make sure that it is dry. Mash the ingredients with a French hand whisk (dal ghotni). Then add 1 tsp of dry mango powder (amchur) to it. Discard the two bay leaves and mix them nicely.
(Pro tip: You can use 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice in place of amchur powder. You can grind the ingredients in a mixer grinder but there is no need).
Step 5: Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add 1 cup of finely chopped onions, 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh mint leaves, and 2 pieces of finely chopped fresh green chilies to it along with 1 piece of egg for binding.
(Pro tip: If you do not like eggs, you can use 1 to 2 tbsp of corn flour in its place).
Step 6: Grease your hands with oil, take a small portion of the stuffing, and make the kababs. Keep them on a plate and refrigerate them for 10 to 15 minutes to set properly.
Step 7: Now, take 3 to 4 tbsp of cooking oil in a frying pan, and when it is hot put each piece gently in it. Flip them after a couple of minutes very carefully.
Step 8: Take them out on a plate when they turn to a lovely golden brown in color.
Step 9: Your tasty and spicy fish kabab is ready to eat. Lay them on a plate and serve them hot with a few tomato circles, onion rings, fresh mint leaves, and green chilies.
Recipe Card
Fish Kabab
Ingredients
- 500 gm fish boneless, any variety
To marinate the fish:
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
To fry the fish:
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
For the stuffing:
- ½ cup split chickpeas chana dal (soaked for half an hour)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp chat masala powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 piece onion medium size, cut into four pieces
- 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 150 ml water ¾ cup
- 1 tsp dry mango powder amchur
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped
- 2 pieces green chilies finely chopped
- 1 piece egg for binding
To fry the kababs:
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Take 500 gm of boneless fish of any variety in a bowl. Add ½ tsp regular table salt, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, and 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice to it. Mix it and set it aside for 10 minutes. (Pro tip: This will help the fish release water and get rid of its customary smell).
- Take 1 tbsp of cooking oil in a frying pan and heat it. Put all the pieces of fish one by one in it to fry them on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
- When done, put them in a pressure cooker along with all its oil. Also, add ½ cup of split chickpeas (chana dal) to it that is soaked for half an hour. Then add ½ tsp of salt, 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of red chili flakes, ½ tsp of black pepper powder, 1 tsp chat masala powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 medium-size onion cut into four pieces, 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste, 2 pieces of bay leaves, and ¾ cup or 150 ml of water in it. Cook it for 10 minutes on a high flame till the first whistle and then on a medium flame.
- When done, make sure that it is dry. Mash the ingredients with a French hand whisk (dal ghotni). Then add 1 tsp of dry mango powder (amchur) to it. Discard the two bay leaves and mix them nicely. (Pro tip: You can use 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice in place of amchur powder. You can grind the ingredients in a mixer grinder but there is no need).
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add 1 cup of finely chopped onions, 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh mint leaves, and 2 pieces of finely chopped fresh green chilies to it along with 1 piece of egg for binding. (Pro tip: If you do not like eggs, you can use 1 to 2 tbsp of corn flour in its place).
- Grease your hands with oil, take a small portion of the stuffing, and make the kababs. Keep them on a plate and refrigerate them for 10 to 15 minutes to set properly.
- Now, take 3 to 4 tbsp of cooking oil in a frying pan, and when it is hot put each piece gently in it. Flip them after a couple of minutes very carefully.
- Take them out on a plate when they turn to a lovely golden brown in color.
- Your tasty and spicy fish kabab is ready to eat. Lay them on a plate and serve them hot with a few tomato circles, onion rings, fresh mint leaves, and green chilies.
