Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Hara Bhara Kabab
Healthy, vibrant green pan-fried patties made from spinach, green peas, and potatoes, lightly spiced and packed with nutrients.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- spinach (palak)
- green peas (matar)
- potatoes
- paneer (optional)
- roasted besan (gram flour) or breadcrumbs
- green chilies
- ginger
- garam masala
- chaat masala
- amchur (dry mango powder)
- cashew halves
- oil/ghee
Equipment
- Blender
- Frying pan or Tawa
Instructions
- 1
Blanch Spinach
Wash the spinach leaves. Drop them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water (this locks in the bright green color). Drain and squeeze out ALL the water.
- 2
Boil Veggies
Boil the potatoes and green peas until tender. Mash the potatoes well.
- 3
Make Green Paste
In a blender, coarsely grind the squeezed spinach, boiled green peas, green chilies, and ginger. Do not add water.
- 4
Combine Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, the green spinach-pea paste, and a handful of grated paneer (if using).
- 5
Add Spices
Add garam masala, chaat masala, amchur powder, and salt.
- 6
Add Binder
Add roasted besan (gram flour) or dry breadcrumbs. Mix everything into a dough. The dough must be dry enough to shape; if it's wet, add more binder.
- 7
Shape the Kababs
Pinch a small portion of the green dough and shape it into a flat, round patty.
- 8
The Signature Look
Gently press half a cashew nut right into the center of each kabab.
- 9
Heat the Pan
Heat a few tablespoons of oil or ghee on a flat tawa or frying pan.
- 10
Shallow Fry
Place the kababs on the hot pan. Shallow fry on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
- 11
Flip Carefully
Carefully flip the kababs and fry the other side until a light brown crust forms. (Do not over-fry, or they will lose their green color).
- 12
Serve
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon and Mint Yogurt Chutney.
Cooking Tips
- Squeezing every drop of water out of the blanched spinach is critical. Wet spinach will ruin the dough and force you to add too much flour, ruining the taste.
- Always blanch the spinach and shock it in ice water; raw spinach will taste bitter and turn black when fried.
Variations
- Vegan Hara Bhara Kabab: Skip the paneer and use tofu, or just rely on potatoes for binding.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A hugely popular restaurant appetizer, loved by both kids and adults as a clever way to eat greens.
Nutrition Estimate
210 calories · 7g protein · 25g carbs · 10g fat · 5g fiber per serving
