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| Oil free chicken mince kebabs in a Horlicks oats coating |
I made quite a few attempts at eating oats
over the last few years ever since I read oats are good for the heart.
over the last few years ever since I read oats are good for the heart.
The problem is I never took to oats. I did
want to incorporate them into my diets though.
want to incorporate them into my diets though.
Then I read a post on my friend Rhea’s blog about cooking choriz (Goan sausage) with oats.
She said she liked how the final dish tasted. I trust her.
She said she liked how the final dish tasted. I trust her.
Rhea’s blog post gave me the idea of trying
oats with keema or minced meat instead of with choriz. Not as a curry or
porridge though. In kebabs instead.
oats with keema or minced meat instead of with choriz. Not as a curry or
porridge though. In kebabs instead.
Our cook, the famous Bunkin Banu, makes
these kebabs which she calls ‘kachhe kheema’ (the mince meat is fried raw unlike in
the other version she makes) kebabs. Though Banu is a Muslim lady, her kabas
are quite similar to the Parsi kebabs which are served with dhansak.
these kebabs which she calls ‘kachhe kheema’ (the mince meat is fried raw unlike in
the other version she makes) kebabs. Though Banu is a Muslim lady, her kabas
are quite similar to the Parsi kebabs which are served with dhansak.
The Parsis call their kebabs ‘kavabs’ though and
make them with mutton or goat meat.
make them with mutton or goat meat.
We request Banu to make these kebabs for us with
chicken mince these days. Recently I had made the kebabs with an air fryer. This made the kebabs even more healthy as I didn’t have to add any oil at all and yet the kebabs turned out to be nice and juicy and flavour
packed.
chicken mince these days. Recently I had made the kebabs with an air fryer. This made the kebabs even more healthy as I didn’t have to add any oil at all and yet the kebabs turned out to be nice and juicy and flavour
packed.
I can imagine a red blooded Parsi cringe while reading this but then us
non-Parsis are not blessed with the long life spans who believe that life
begins at 90s.
non-Parsis are not blessed with the long life spans who believe that life
begins at 90s.
Chicken, no oil, could I score any more brownie
points with our kebabs?
points with our kebabs?
Which is when I thought of adding oats to
the kebabs mix to add further good health karma to them.
the kebabs mix to add further good health karma to them.
I read the instructions on the Horlicks
oats pack and saw that one had to roast the oats first. I was bit undecided
about whether I should add the oats whole to the kebab mix. So I rang up my
friend Nandita who had recently written this
post about using oats.
oats pack and saw that one had to roast the oats first. I was bit undecided
about whether I should add the oats whole to the kebab mix. So I rang up my
friend Nandita who had recently written this
post about using oats.
Nandita, suggested that I roast the oats,
grind them in a food processor and then use the oats instead of bread crumbs to
bind the kebabs. Nandita is a vegetarian but says she uses this method to make
patties.
grind them in a food processor and then use the oats instead of bread crumbs to
bind the kebabs. Nandita is a vegetarian but says she uses this method to make
patties.
So last Saturday I caught hold of Banu and
requested her to show me how she makes the kebabs. She did and let me tell you
that ‘despite’ the white and not red meat, no oil used AND the packing in of oats,
the kebabs tasted really good.
requested her to show me how she makes the kebabs. She did and let me tell you
that ‘despite’ the white and not red meat, no oil used AND the packing in of oats,
the kebabs tasted really good.
Here’s how you can make it:
Ingredients (20 small round kebabs):
100 g or 2 small bowls of Horlicks oats
(dry roasted in a pan), 250 g chicken
mince, 2 small potatoes boiled, peeled and cubed, 1 finely chopped small red
onion, 2 finely chopped green chillies (optional), 1 small bowl of finely
chopped coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon each of freshly ground ginger and garlic
(you can use packaged stuff too), ½ a
teaspoon each of salt, red chilli, turmeric, coriander and cumin powders, 1 egg
(dry roasted in a pan), 250 g chicken
mince, 2 small potatoes boiled, peeled and cubed, 1 finely chopped small red
onion, 2 finely chopped green chillies (optional), 1 small bowl of finely
chopped coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon each of freshly ground ginger and garlic
(you can use packaged stuff too), ½ a
teaspoon each of salt, red chilli, turmeric, coriander and cumin powders, 1 egg
Prep:
- ·
Dry roast the oats and powder them in a mixer grinder or by using a mortar and pestle - ·
Boil the potatoes. Peel and cut
them into cubes - ·
Use a spoon and gently mix in
all the ingredients barring the oats. Keep the mixture in the fridge for about
an hour so that it becomes firm
Cook:
- ·
Use your hands to make small
round balls with the mix. About the same size of the balls you would make with
dough to make rotis - ·
Roll the each kebab ball in the oat
powder to evenly coat it. If you want to increase the oat quotient, you can add
some oats to the mixture too. It won’t affect the taste - ·
Pre-heat the air fryer for 10
minutes at 200 C - ·
Put the kebabs into the air
fryer and leave them in for 15 min at
200 kebabs.
That’s all it takes. You can make them in
an oven too but it will take more time. Of course you can shallow fry them as
well.
an oven too but it will take more time. Of course you can shallow fry them as
well.
To get a slightly more crunchy effect you
can brush on a drop of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to each kebab ball before putting
them in. Though to be honest, you will not miss the absence of oil even if you
don’t add the oil.
can brush on a drop of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to each kebab ball before putting
them in. Though to be honest, you will not miss the absence of oil even if you
don’t add the oil.
We froze half the batch and thawed and
cooked them a couple of days later and tasted lovely then too.
cooked them a couple of days later and tasted lovely then too.
You can have these as a party starter or
make a Parsi masala ni dar and brown rice and have it with that. Here’s my late
grandmother in law’s recipe
for masala ni dar (that’s what Parsis call dal). My mom in law has taught
it to Banu and she makes a nice version of it.
Here’s another idea. Make some brown rice. Add three kebabs to a portion of the brown rice to make yourself #TheHealthyBowl.
make a Parsi masala ni dar and brown rice and have it with that. Here’s my late
grandmother in law’s recipe
for masala ni dar (that’s what Parsis call dal). My mom in law has taught
it to Banu and she makes a nice version of it.
Here’s another idea. Make some brown rice. Add three kebabs to a portion of the brown rice to make yourself #TheHealthyBowl.
This
post was done in association with Horlicks Oats
post was done in association with Horlicks Oats
