Indian Spinach-Cheese Kebabs


Serves: 4
Total Calories: 271

Ingredients

FOR THE KEBABS:
salt, to taste
10 ounces spinach, fresh, rinsed and stemmed, or a 10-ounce package frozen spinach
1/4 cup nuts, coarsely chopped, mixed (pistachios, cashews, and / or almonds)
1/4 cup flour, chickpea (besan) or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon Quick Garam Masala (see recipe under "Rub It In") or ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2/3 cup cottage cheese, dry-curd, or crumbled farmer's cheese, or pot cheese
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup gouda cheese or mild cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped fresh
1 tablespoon raisins, golden, coarsely chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh, or more to taste
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, melted
FOR SERVING:
pita bread or lavash
lemon wedges
onion, cucumbers, tomatoes and chile peppers, all sliced

Directions:

1. Pour water to a depth of 1 inch in a large pot, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted and tender, about 3 minutes. (If using frozen spinach, follow package instructions.) Drain the spinach in a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Squeeze fistfuls of spinach in your hands to wring out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach in the food processor or by hand. If using a food processor, leave the spinach in the processor bowl if by hand, transfer to a bowl. You should have about 3/4 cup spinach.

2. Heat the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Transfer the nuts to a plate to cool. Add the chickpea flour to the skillet and heat until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chickpea flour to the spinach. Add the garam masala, cumin, fenugreek (if using), and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to the skillet and cook until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the spices to the spinach.

3. Add the farmer’s cheese to the spinach and process to make a coarse paste or stir to blend. Add the Gouda, cilantro, raisins, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and nuts and pulse or stir just to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding lemon juice, salt, or cayenne as needed the mixture should be highly seasoned. You can form the kebabs now, but the mixture will be easier to work with if you refrigerate it, covered, for 3 hours.

4. Oil 4 long, flat metal skewers. Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal portions. Lightly wet your hands with cold water and mold 1 portion onto a skewer to make a sausage shape 9 to 10 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Continue making kebabs until the spinach mixture is used up. If making up the kebabs ahead of time, lay them on oiled baking sheets and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

5. If desired, set up the grill for grateless grilling. Preheat the grill to high.

6. When ready to cook, lightly brush each kebab with melted butter and arrange them on the grill as described in the grateless method or oil the grill grate and arrange the skewers directly on it. Grill, turning once or twice, until lightly browned on all sides, about 8 minutes in all. Brush with butter again.

7. Use a piece of naan, pita bread, or lavash as a pot holder and unmold the kebabs onto serving plates or a platter. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing and a platter of sliced onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and chile peppers.

Serves 4

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 271
Calories from Fat: 126

This Indian Spinach-Cheese Kebabs recipe is from the The Barbecue Bible Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.




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