Lentil kabab is made from red lentils, boiled potato, onion, chilies, ginger, garlic, and a few spices. Follow my recipe to learn the steps to make lentil kabab at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Lentil kababs offer a delightful snacking experience.
- Serve them hot with tomato ketchup, tamarind chutney, green chutney, onion rings, lemon slices, mustard sauce, or mint-yogurt dip.
- Lentil kababs taste sweet and savory, crispy and crunchy, flavorful and satisfying.
- The taste is quite similar to that of paneer kababs, soybean kababs, corn kababs, and vegetable kababs.
I was overwhelmed when I first experienced lentil kababs in a food stall in the streets of Delhi. The taste, the smell, and the soft texture immediately drew my attention. I tried it at home the next day and found it to be a surprising and satisfying experience. Come, join the exciting journey with me.
How to Make Lentil Kabab? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take ½ cup red lentils (masoor dal) in a kadai and add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, and ½ tsp of salt.
Step 2: Add 1.5 cup of water and 1 bay leaf.
Step 3: Cover and cook on a high flame first. When it comes to a boil, mix once, reduce the flame to medium, and cook for about 10 minutes till the dal is cooked nicely and turns soft.
Step 4: Remove the cover. Cook till all water evaporates. Turn off the flame. Let it cool.
Step 5: Remove the bay leaf.
Step 6: Add 1 large finely sliced onion, 4 fresh finely chopped green chilies, ½ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp of roasted masala powder comprising cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and dry red chili, ¼ tsp of red chili powder, ¼ tsp of black pepper powder, ¼ tsp garam masala powder, 1 tbsp of tomato sauce or tomato ketchup, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, a medium-sized boiled, peeled, and mashed potato, and salt to taste.
(Pro tip: Check the salt you add now because you have already added some salt while cooking the dal).
Step 7: Mix nicely.
Step 8: Crack one egg. Mix nicely.
Step 9: Add 1 cup bread crumbs.
Step 10: Mix nicely. Let it rest for a while for everything to blend nicely.
Step 11: Heat an adequate amount of cooking oil in a frying pan or kadai on high heat.
Step 12: Take a bit of the mixture in your hand. Make a ball. Press it to give the proper shape.
Step 13: Release it gently in the hot oil. Reduce the flame to medium make all the kababs and release as many as the kadai can accommodate.
(Expert tip: Do not overcrowd the kadai with too many kabab pieces. This will hinder proper cooking and easy flipping).
Step 14: Flip them and fry them on a medium flame for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 15: Remove them with a strainer when they turn golden brown.
Step 16: Your homemade delicious lentil kababs are ready. Garnish them with a few chopped fresh mint or coriander leaves and serve them hot on a plate with tomato ketchup.
Recipe Card
Lentil Kabab
Ingredients
- ½ cup red lentils masoor dal
To boil the dal:
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1.5 cup water
- 1 piece bay leaf
To prepare the mixture:
- 1 piece onion large, sliced finely
- 4 pieces fresh green chilies finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp roasted masala powder cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and dry red chili
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce or tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 piece potato medium size, boiled, peeled, and mashed
- Salt To taste
- 1 piece egg
- 1 cup bread crumbs
To deep fry the kababs:
- Cooking oil An adequate amount
Instructions
- Take ½ cup red lentils (masoor dal) in a kadai and add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, and ½ tsp of salt.
- Add 1.5 cup of water and 1 bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on a high flame first. When it comes to a boil, mix once, reduce the flame to medium, and cook for about 10 minutes till the dal is cooked nicely and turns soft.
- Remove the cover. Cook till all water evaporates. Turn off the flame. Let it cool.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Add 1 large finely sliced onion, 4 fresh finely chopped green chilies, ½ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp of roasted masala powder comprising cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and dry red chili, ¼ tsp of red chili powder, ¼ tsp of black pepper powder, ¼ tsp garam masala powder, 1 tbsp of tomato sauce or tomato ketchup, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, a medium-sized boiled, peeled, and mashed potato, and salt to taste. (Pro tip: Check the salt you add now because you have already added some salt while cooking the dal).
- Mix nicely.
- Crack one egg. Mix nicely.
- Add 1 cup bread crumbs.
- Mix nicely. Let it rest for a while for everything to blend nicely.
- Heat an adequate amount of cooking oil in a frying pan or kadai on high heat.
- Take a bit of the mixture in your hand. Make a ball. Press it to give the proper shape.
- Release it gently in the hot oil. Reduce the flame to medium make all the kababs and release as many as the kadai can accommodate. (Pro tip: Do not overcrowd the kadai with too many kabab pieces. This will hinder proper cooking and easy flipping).
- Flip them and fry them on a medium flame for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove them with a strainer when they turn golden brown.
- Your homemade delicious lentil kababs are ready. Garnish them with a few chopped fresh mint or coriander leaves and serve them hot on a plate with tomato ketchup.
