Kachche Kele ke Kebab: Raw Banana Kebab

Avengers: Infinity War famously declared "We Will Deep Fry Your Kebab". This kachche kele ke kebab recipe duly follows that memo.

Kachche kele ka kebab is as delicious as its alliterative appellation makes it sound. Serve these deep-fried beauties as teatime snack, and prepare to smile as you hear sated purrs at the table.

You Need:

[Serves 6-8]

• Raw banana – 500 grams (~5)
• Potato – 1
• Onion – 1/2
• Green chili – 1
• Ginger – 1/2 inch piece, grated
• Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Pepper powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Red chili powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Mustard oil – 2 teaspoons
• Vegetable or peanut oil – for deep frying

How To Make Kachche Kele ke Kebab:

1. Boil the vegetables

Place the raw bananas and potato, with skin on, in a pressure cooker. Pour enough water in the cooker to just submerge the vegetables. Lock the lid and cook on high heat till the cooker gives out a whistle. Now set the heat to low, and continue to cook till the vegetables are boiled to mashable softness. [I used here firm raw bananas and a medium-sized potato: this got done in another 5 minutes.]

Let the pressure cooker let out its steam naturally. Then unlock the lid, pick the boiled vegetables out and discard the water.

Wait till the vegetables are cool enough for you to handle comfortably.

2. Peel and mash

Peel off the skins of the raw bananas and potato.

Mash the boiled insides together.

Sprinkle the dry spices over the mashed raw banana-potato: turmeric powder, red chili powder, pepper powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, asafoetida powder, salt to taste.

Pour two teaspoons of mustard oil over the mash. Throw in some finely chopped onion, grated ginger, green chilies and coriander leaves.

Mash everything together.

3. Ball up

With the palms of your hands smeared with oil, pluck inch-wide lumps of the mashed raw banana-potato mixture and roll them into even balls.

Continue the process till all the balls are ready.

4. Deep fry

Heat oil in a kadhai or pan.

When the oil is hot, set the heat to medium and gently slide in a few kebab balls for deep frying. Control the setting of the heat – increase if the oil isn’t merrily crackling and bubbling, decrease if the base of the kebabs are turning deep-brown while the edges close to the surface look raw.

Slide in only as many kebabs as can fit into your pan in a single layer, without jostling for space. The rest will have to wait for their turn.

After a 2-3 minutes, move the kebabs around so that their uncooked sides face downwards.

Continue frying till the kebabs are golden-brown all over.

When done, pick the kebabs out with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Add the next batch of kebabs balls into the hot oil for frying.

Repeat till all the kebabs are done.

Serve kachche kele ke kebab with chutney on the side and masala chai for company.

Snack plate below: kachche kele ke kebab, green chutney, dahi vada.

Notes:

Try other snack recipes too: sookhi chana dal, spring rolls with vegetable filling, soya cutlets.