Kale chickpeas hara bhara kebab

The weather is changing here and it is raining here pretty often. When it rains, i want to binge! But binging can take the calorie bank for a spin, so making healthy eating alternatives is a must at home. This time, i had a big bag of kale which was just too fresh and tempting to ignore. With kebabs as the theme for this week, i knew what route my beautiful kale would go 🙂 Presenting my oh so glowing “Kale Chickpeas Hara Bhara Kebabs”

When it comes to thinking of a snack dish, my first instinct is always to go the croquette/tikki/kebab route. I have lots of such recipes on my blog. Few of my favorites are : Soya Patties, Vegetarian Shammi Kebabs, Lentil sprouts tikkis and Hearty Oatmeal tikkis. I can never have enough of these gorgeous little bite size treats. Kebabs are so versatile. Originally kebabs were meat based but vegetarians have made these equally theirs with the various varieties to choose from. One of my favorite Indian style kebabs are the “hara bhara kebabs” which are made using potatoes and spinach. With the fond memories of munching on those glorious kebabs made by my mom, i thought of recreating the same experience with some magical ingredients. This recipe comes together as a super power kebab which is a cornucopia of healthy ingredients – Kale, Chickpeas and Sweet potatoes ! Kebab eating just got healthier and more magical !! 🙂

Kale chickpeas hara bhara kebab

kale chickpeas hara bhara kebab

Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients

2 bunches of Kale/ 4 cups of kale leaves, cut into small pieces or as desired
3 cups of soaked and boiled chickpeas, well drained and almost dry
1 big sweet potato, boiled (it is optional to include the sweet potato, if the chickpea mash is able to bind the kebabs, you don’t have to include sweet potato necessarily)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 green chilies, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Oil spray for pan frying

Method

We will be sauteing the kale for this recipe. For this, take a non stick pan and to it add in oil. When the oil gets hot, add in the kale leaves and saute on high for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste on top and toss well. Once the kale leaves are sauteed a bit and the water from the kale leaves evaporate, shut the flame and remove the kale from the pan. Keep aside till it cools down.
Now, take a bowl and to it, add in the boiled chickpeas and sweet potato. Mash well and combine. Add in the kale leaves, minced garlic, green chilies, salt and pepper and mix well. Let this mixture refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes. The resting time will allow the batter to stiffen a bit and make it easy to form the kebabs
Take out the mixture from the refrigerator and using both your palms, form kebabs from the mixture.
Now, take a skillet and let it heat up well on the flame. Once the skillet is very hot, spray a little oil and reduce the flame. Place the kebabs on the skillet and let it cook on medium flame till crispy on both sides. Since all the components of the kebab mixture is cooked, you can also use high flame to cook the kebabs to a good crispy exterior.

The Kale chickpeas hara bhara kebabs are done.

Recommended serving size – 2 to 3 per person

Garnishing – Goes well with a side of Tzatziki, Hummus or even ketchup.

Did u look at that pic?? Isn’t that simply too gorgeous ! The family munched onto these very happily and these kebabs were an absolute hit ! The kale lend a very mature flavour to the kebabs and the addition of sweet potato with the chickpeas just uplifted the flavour of the kebabs and mellowed down the slight bitterness of the kale. These kebabs are perfect snack option and they are really filling and satisfying. My rating – a full 10/10.

Now, lets read some benefits !

Kale – Just a single cup of raw kale (about 67 grams or 2.4 ounces) contains like 684% of Vitamins K, 206% of Vitamins A and 134% of Vitamin C. The ADA lists kale among five “superfoods” for diabetics, because it’s been shown to lower high blood pressure. Eating plenty of leafy greens can be key to balancing blood sugar because kale is high in fiber that helps slow the rise of blood sugar and it also contains protein, which helps anchor blood sugar. One cup of kale (only 33 calories) contains 1 grams of fiber and nearly 3 grams of protein, which also makes it great for weight management.

Chickpeas – Chickpeas have 269 calories per cup, and are a good source of protein containing about 20 percent in content, which is equivalent to meat. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Chickpeas contain vitamins A, C, D, E and K and trace minerals such as copper, zinc and manganese, important for energy-producing enzymes. Chickpeas help prevent elevated blood sugar levels, making them a good choice for diabetics or if you have insulin-resistance or hypoglycemia.

Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are a good food choice for diabetics as they are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index of 44. Though the primary nutrient in a sweet potato is carbohydrate, they are also good sources of fiber, beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, and vitamin B6 — and despite being primarily carbohydrate, some studies have shown that sweet potatoes can help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance.

So now that u know the goodness of these ingredients, when are u cooking these Kebabs at home ?

Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

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