OK, full disclosure, I use these croquettes as a way to sneak in vegetables into my diet that my family and I don’t like to eat. So yeah, this recipe came into being out of NECESSITY more than anything else!

I cooked up these croquettes right after my chicken and vegetable kebabs went viral on IG. And well, they are here to stay, my friend! Pss.. You can also load veggies in your nuggets, just btw (I do that in my chili parm nuggets too)

Ingredients

Don’t get overwhelmed with the list. I promise you these are simply things you probably already have in your pantry.

• Vegetables – I use this recipe as an excuse to eat all the veggies that I generally don’t like on their own. So broccoli and cauliflower are always part of the mix. Feel free to use any hard vegetables of your choice. Customise as you want!
• Potatoes – All croquettes need a potato base. I’ve used regular white potatoes PLUS a sweet potato to up the nutrition.
• Shredded Chicken – For the shredded chicken in this recipe, you can use any leftover rotisserie chicken from last night. Or, you can boil some with the potatoes.
• Coating – Like all croquettes, this one also needs a crumb coat. You’ll need flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. I also add sesame seeds for extra crunch and nutrition.
• Cheese – Use any fresh high-protein cheese of your choice. I went with cottage cheese. You can use Feta, cream cheese, or mascarpone. Just adjust the salt level if using salted cheeses.
• Seasonings – Apart from salt and pepper, I use homemade dahi bara masala for this recipe, which you can buy from the store or use chilli flakes, roasted cumin seeds, and coriander seeds instead.
• Binder – I use breadcrumbs in the croquette base to give it binding.
• Other – For taste, I also add cilantro leaves, garlic, and onions

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Instructions

Let me show you a simple step-by-step pictorial for this recipe.

Step 1: Boil potatoes and chicken together or separately with garlic, salt, and pepper.

Step 2: Peel the potatoes and add them to a large bowl.

Step 3: Mash the potatoes.

Step 4: Use a food processor to chop all the listed vegetables and herbs. Keep it as fine or as chunky as you like.

Step 5: Add all the chopped vegetables to the mashed potatoes.

Step 6: Shred chicken in the food processor and add it to the mashed potatoes.

PROTIP: Use the food processor to shred the chicken instead of doing it manually to save time and effort.

Step 7: Add in your cheese. (feta, cottage, ricotta, or any of your choice)

Step 8: Add in all the seasonings.

Step 9: Combine everything with your hands to make a uniform croquette mix.

Step 10: Take a tablespoon of the mixture and shape it in one of your preferred ways.

Step 11: Coat the croquettes in flour, then eggs, and lastly, breadcrumbs.

Step 12: Fry at medium flame in oil until crispy and golden brown in color.

Please note: Purple Cabbage bleeds in the kebabs and turns them slightly pink. I didn’t have a problem with that, so I went ahead and used it. If you think your kids or family may have issues, best to avoid them altogether.

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot with your favorite sauces on the side. I like to pair mine with garlic mayo or hot honey ranch (both recipes in my E-book)

Here are some more fun ways to use your croquettes and turn them into a meal:

• Eat with yellow rice and yogurt
• Serve with dal chawal (rice and lentils)
• Make wraps out of it with mayo and veggies
• Use for paratha rolls.

Variations and Substitutions

This recipe is generally on the spicy end ( my brown folks can ignore this comment). Here are some variations for you to try

• Nuts and seeds – I add sesame seeds with the bread crumbs to up the nutritional value, but feel free to add some chopped nuts or seeds of your choice into the croquette mix as well.
• Meats – Make this recipe with shredded beef, mutton, or lamb.
• Heat – I’d categorize this recipe as spicy for a non-brown person, so feel free to reduce the heat a bit if you like.
• Coating – Try using cornflakes instead of bread crumbs for an extra crunch.
• Spring rolls – You can use this croquette mix as a filling for puff pastry, spring rolls, or samosas.
• Potatoes – I’ve used a combination of white and sweet potatoes for this recipe. You can use just one variety as well.
• Binder – I use breadcrumbs to counter the added moisture in the croquettes. You can use cornstarch, oatmeal, or tapioca flour, too, as a substitute.

Storage

The croquette mix can last in the fridge for about a day or two. So you can make the mix a day before and roll it and coat it the next day in front of the TV or something.

Freeze the croquettes in an airtight box. To freeze in a ziplock bag, make sure you freeze the croquettes individually first. They can last for upto 2 months in the freezer.

Expert Tips

• I used whatever vegetables I had in the fridge. Please note
• Use parchment paper in the tray that you freeze your kebabs in to avoid them getting stuck to the pan
• This is a great recipe for “clean-your-fridge” day.
• Freeze the croquettes individually in an open tray. Once they harden, add them to ziplock bags to avoid them getting stuck to each other.
• Purple cabbage leaves tend to turn the croquettes pink (avoid it if you don’t want that)

Frequently Asked Questions

More Nutritious Deliciousness

Here are some more potato-chicken-veggie mash-ups that have the ability to be full meals!

Do you have any questions? I’m happy to help! And of course, If you try this recipe, I’d loveeeee to see it or simply hear about it! Hit me up in the comment section below and I’ll get back to asap! Happy Cooking!

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Chicken Vegetable Croquettes

They are high on protein, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Freezer-friendly, customizable, and perfect as a snack, appetizer, or side dish with rice

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Fusion Food, International

Diet Halal

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 30 servings

Calories 80kcal

Author Wajiha

Ingredients

Croquette Mix

• 3 medium potato 300 gm
• 1 medium sweet potato 150 gm
• 300 gm chicken breast
• 1 whole garlic peeled and cloves seperated.
• 2 1/2 cup chopped vegetables of your choice (see notes)
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup cottage cheese 200 gms
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs 1 slice
• 2 tablespoon dahi bara masala
• 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 small bunch of coriander

Coating

• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds optional
• Oil for frying

Instructions

• Boil chicken and potatoes in water along with a teaspoon of salt and 5 garlic cloves. See notes.
• Peel the boiled potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Mash them until smooth.
• Shred the chicken in the food processor and add it to the potato bowl.
• Use a food processor to chop all the listed vegetables and herbs. Keep it as fine or as chunky as you like. Add them to the potato bowl.
• Add the rest of the ingredients for the croquette mix. This is the best stage to do a taste test and adjust seasonings.
• Knead the croquette mix into a dough. Take a tablespoon of the dough and shape it with your hands into a cigar, a ball or a patty.
• Place all the shaped croquettes on a tray, ideally lined with parchment paper.
• Prepare 3 shallow plates, one with the flour, one with the eggs beaten and one with the breadcrumbs mixed with sesame seeds.
• Roll the croquettes first into the flour, then dip them in the beaten egg and finally roll them through the breadcrumbs and sesame seed mix, making sure they are completely covered. Place them on a plate or tray until ready to fry. You could also put them in the freezer directly at this point if you wish to fry them later.
• Add any neutral oil to a pot so that it’s at least a couple inches deep and heat it over medium high heat. Fry the croquettes in oil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides.
• To airfry, put the croquettes in an air fryer sprayed with oil and bake for 375°F-400°F (190°C-200°C) for 10-15 minutes until golden brown, flipping them halfway through if needed.
• Serve with your favorite chutney or sauces.

Notes

• Use leftover shredded chicken if you have any instead of boiling more.
• You can use just one type of potato for this recipe as well.
• Use any vegetables you have at hand. For this recipe, I prefer carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, cauliflower, and broccoli. 
• Use cornstarch or oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs in the croquette mixture if you need a substitute. 
• The croquettes last for upto 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1082IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Crispy Chicken Vegetable Croquettes appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

These simple, delicious Peri-Peri Chicken Livers are Portuguese in origin. They are super popular amongst South Africans, and I thaaaaaaank Nando’s, on behalf of the rest of the world, for introducing this absolutely finger-licking deliciousness to us.

They are saucy, spicy, tangy, and I loveeee love loveee that I can just make this up for lazy dinners when I don’t wanna be in the kitchen for more than 20 minutes.

Also, FYI, my favorite pastime is to find Restaurant foods that I love and then make them at home with nutritious alternatives. It’s cheaper and healthier and gives me my power back, you know? Like my P.F. Chang’s Dynamite prawns or the cult favorite Saudi Champagne are on top of that remake list.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a handful of things to make this recipe. But the food police in me won’t give you many substitutions since we are aiming for the real “Nando’s taste”. (Soooorryyyyyy)

• Chicken livers – Wash them and cut them into smaller pieces. Fresh chicken livers always taste better.
• Spices – Coriander powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
• Peri Peri Sauce – No substitutions here, amigos. Im sure other brands have peri peri sauce on the market, but I went ahead and used the Nando’s one. So now the trick is to use the one that has the right spice level you like. I went with the Medium, because there are other spices too in the recipe. And I’d say it turned out on the spicier side. So if you’d like it to be less spicy, I’d suggest going for the garlic Peri Peri sauce.
• Garlic and Onion – Any onion would do, no issues. Garlic and onion are going to be finely chopped. This is probably the only cutting needed in this recipe.
• Cream – This recipe calls for cooking cream because its light and thin. But you can substitute with regular thick cream and simply add water to dilute (more later)
• Tomato paste – You have wiggle room here. You can use ketchup if you are out of paste.
• Oil and Butter – The Nando’s chicken livers are creamy, buttery, and spicy. Safe to say this recipe uses both oil and butter. But I’d let it pass if you are out of butter. Use oil only instead.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Instructions

I’ve put together all the steps in a simple pictorial for you to see how easy this is to make.

This is a simple recipe with only 10 minutes of cook time.

Step 1: Add oil and butter to a large skillet or pan. Toss in chopped onion and fry at medium heat until they turn translucent.

Step 2: Add minced garlic to onions and saute for a minute.

Step 3: Add chicken liver, spices, tomato paste, and lemon juice to the pan and saute them.

Step 4: Cook the liver till all the liquid evaporates and you can see oil separating on the sides.

Step 6: Add peri peri sauce and cream. Mix well and cook for 1 minute.

Step 5: Garnish with chopped parsley and some extra butter.

Expert Tips

• Give the chicken liver an acid treatment for about 5 minutes before cooking. You can use lemon or vinegar to do so. This removes any residual smell or odor from the liver.
• Fresh Liver always tastes better than frozen. That is true for all organ meat, really. Other than taste, even nutritionally, it is always better to go for fresh liver and cook it the same day.
• Kitchen scissors are better for cutting the slippery livers.

Serving and Pairing

Traditionally, these creamy Peri Peri chicken Livers are served with baked bread, and more authentically, the Portuguese rolls. Serve it with any bread or loaf of your liking, with butter and lemon on the side.

If you are serving this as an appetizer, then a nice apple chicken stir fry and fried rice as the main course would pair really well with it. You could also do a mild soup like the chicken corn soup, or grilled chicken and salad as the main. I’ve also served it as individual canapes for parties, and they turn out amazingggggg.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Do you have any questions? I’m happy to help! And of course, If you try this recipe, I’d loveeeee to see it or simply hear about it! Hit me up in the comment section below and I’ll get back to asap! Happy Cooking!

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Peri Peri Chicken Liver

This is a Portugese style, chicken liver recipe, made with cream and peri peri sauce. It's delicious, spicy and is served with buns of your choice.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Continental

Diet Halal

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 402kcal

Author Wajiha

Ingredients

• 450 gm Chicken Liver cut into smaller pieces
• 5 cloves Garlic minced
• 2 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Butter Added in 2 increments
• 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice Added in 2 increments
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1 table spoon Tomato paste
• 1/3 cup Peri Peri Sauce (medium) or to taste
• 3/4 cup Cooking Cream

Instructions

• Add half of the lemon juice to the wash chicken liver asnd set aside.
• In a large skillet or pan, add oil and half of the butter. Add onions and sautee them until they turn translucent.
• Now add garlic and chicken livers to the pan.
• Add all the spices, leftover lemon juice, tomato paste and remaining butter.
• Stir fry the livers for 3 to 4 minutes or until all the moisture evaporates and you can see oil seperating on the sides.
• Add peri peri sauce. Cook for a minute.
• Add cream and cook for another minute.
• Garnish with parsley and serve hot with Portugese rolls or any buns of your choice.

Video

Notes

• Treat chicken liver with vinegar or lemon juice for 5 minutes before cooking to remove any smell.
• If you don’t have cooking cream, use any normal fresh or thick cream and add water to it. (for 100 ml of thick cream, add enough water to make it into 3/4 cup of cream)

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 439mg | Sodium: 900mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 13584IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 11mg

The post Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken Livers appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

So me and my husband have phases where we go from total health nuts to absolute Junk food addicts. Lately, we’ve found a balance where we try to have at least one nutritional meal a day (minus holidays ofcourse). These kebabs or kabobs are my go to for most of those meals.

I loveeeee recipes that freeze. These kebabs work beautifully when frozen, just like my chicken cheddar kababs or the delicious Asian Meatballs. You save time and meal prep at the same time.

Bonus: These kabobs or kababs are super versatile. Go in with whatever veggies you like and pair it with literally anything you want! (more ideas laters)

Ingredients

Here are a couple of pointers and notes about the ingredients.

• Ground chicken – There is no restriction as to what part of the chicken you need for this recipe. You can buy boneless chicken and process it at home or buy pre-ground chicken. Everything works.
• Spices and Seasoning – The spices are a little heavy in this recipe simply to season all the bland veggies and oats. There is black and white pepper, cumin, crush red chili, garlic, and ginger.
• Vegetables – Here’s the fun part. This recipe has no prerequisite of which veggies you need. Use this as an opportunity to clean your fridge. I went with carrots, onion, bellpepper, and coriander (as the herb)
• Binding – These kabobs have a higher moisture content which makes managing them a little tricky. Adding eggs and bread crumbs helps with that and gives a nice subtle flavor.
• Oats – I love adding oats to this recipe for the added nutrition boost. They don’t alter the taste but you’ll require a little more salt. Its optional either ways.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Method

You literally have to just mix all the ingredients and let it rest for 5 to 10 mins! That’s all there is to preparing these kebabs! Here’s a pictorial I made for you.

Step 1: Put all the assorted vegetables and herbs in a food processor.

Step 2: Process the vegetables until finely chopped.

Step 3: In a bowl add the vegetables, chicken mince, egg, spices, oats and bread crumbs.

Step 4: Mix everything thoroughly to make a uniform kabab mixture. Allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes on the counter.

Step 5: Use a tablespoon to portion out kababs onto a plate.

Step 6: Grease your hands with oil and flatten the kabobs in the palms of your hand and press into patties.

Step 7: Directly put the patties onto a hot grill pan greased with oil.

Step 8: Grill for 3 minutes on each side until you get golden brown edges.

Expert Tips

• Always do a taste test before grilling up all the kebabs. Make a small bite sized kebab and grill it. Adjust seasoning and spices accordingly.
• Tomatoes tend to become mushy in a chopper, hence avoid putting them in. Instead, opt for chopping them by a knife. 
• Resting the kababs for 5 to 10 minutes gives the bread crumbs enough time to absorb moisture. Do not skip this step! You can leave it for longer in the fridge if you aren’t planning to make the kababs right away.

Pairing Suggestions

• Make burgers out of them!
• Pair it with good ‘ol Daal chawal (lentil and rice)
• Make wraps or rolls out of it with sauce of your liking.
• Serve with pulao rice and yogurt.
• Have it with a side salad to keep it low-carb.

Frequently Asked Question

I shared this recipe back in ’23 for the first time on IG and tiktok. Here are a couple of questions some of you had.

More Low-Carb Nutritious recipes

Do you have any questions? I’m happy to help! And of course, If you try this recipe, I’d loveeeee to see it or simply hear about it! Hit me up in the comment section below and I’ll get back to asap! Happy Cooking!

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Chicken Vegetable Kebabs

These are low-carb kebabs, made with chicken, aromatic Pakistani spices, oats and vegetables. Nutrient dense and packed with flavor. Grill on a pan or freeze in a bag.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Diet Halal

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 24 kebabs

Calories 60kcal

Author Wajiha

Equipment

• 1 chopper

Ingredients

• 400 gm chicken mince
• 2 tbsp rolled oats
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds or zeera
• 2 tsp crushed red chilli
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 whole bell pepper chopped
• 1 big onion chopped
• 1 medium carrot chopped
• 1 handful coriander leaves
• 1 or 2 stalks green onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 large egg
• Oil for frying

Instructions

• Start by adding carrot, bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger in a chopper and chop coarsely.
• In a bowl, add minced chicken, oats, chopped vegetables, spices, seasonings, egg and bread crumbs.
• Mix all the ingredients and cover it. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto plate or a tray to make patty portions.
• Heat up the grill pan at medium heat with oil in it.
• Grease the palms of your hands with oil and use it to flatten the kabab portions into flat patties.
• Drop the kebab patties in the grill pan. Grill for 3 minutes and flip. Grill until golden and remove.
• Serve hot with chutney or sliders on the side.

Notes

• Always do a taste test before grilling up all the kebabs. Make a small bite sized kebab and grill it. Adjust seasoning and spices accordinly.
• Tomatoes tend to become mushy in a chopper, hence avoid putting them in. Instead, opt for chopping them by a knife. 
• Resting the kababs for 5 to 10 minutes gived the bread crumbs enough time to absorb moisture. Do not skip this step! You can leave it for longer in the fridge if you aren’t planning to make the kababs right away.
• To freeze the kababs, grill the kebabs like you normally would, but only for a minute on each side before the kebab starts to get its characteristic golden brown edges. This half-cooked method will seal the juices in the patties. Allow them to cool down, pop them in a ziplock bag, and freeze. Whenever you want to eat them, simply thaw them in the microwave for 30 seconds and grill as usual.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servings | Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.3mg

The post Chicken Vegetable Kebabs appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

These chicken bites have two flavor kings which set them apart. First, is the freshly grated Parmesan, because cheese makes everything better. And second, is the red and green chilies, packing heat and be-speckling the nugget.

My bigggggest flex, after starting this blog, has to be, that I make fast food at home. Like I make my own street-style bun kebab, dynamite shrimp, and spicy potatoes. It helps me control soooo much! The type of oil I use, the quality of my ingredients, and the way I want to cook it.

Ingredients and Substitutes

The ingredients are very simple, and the highlight of the dish is the red and green chilies! They look super cool dispersed in the chicken mix. 

• Boneless Chicken – Don’t use store-bought ground chicken. It has a lot of moisture and won’t give you a firm nugget mix. Instead, use a food processor to process chicken breast or thigh.
• Seasonings – You need dried thyme, salt, black pepper powder, garlic powder, soy sauce, and vinegar.
• Chilies – The red and green chilies I used are jalapenos. They are de-seeded and de-stemmed to reduce their spice levels. You can use this as a placeholder to even use bell peppers instead.
• Cheese – This nugget recipe uses Parmigiano-Reggiano which is a hard cheese. You can substitute it with any hard cheese available to you, like Manchega or Gorgonzola.
• Egg – I add an egg to the nugget mixture and one to make the egg wash for coating.
• Breadcrumbs and flour – I used homemade breadcrumbs for this recipe, you can use panko breadcrumbs or even ground cornflakes to coat the nuggets.

Simple tweaks to make this recipe healthier

• Use organic grass-fed chicken.
• Buy farm eggs.
• Use low-sodium soy sauce.
• Skip bread crumbs and flour and go for gluten-free coating options (see FAQ).
• Use unprocessed fresh cheese.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Method

I’ve put together all the steps in a simple pictorial for you to see how easy this is to make.

STEP 1: Put chicken, garlic cloves, and destemmed deseeded chilies in a food processor.

STEP 2: Process nugget mixture until finely ground.

STEP 3: Add seasoning, egg and sauces. Process once more.

STEP 4: Add grated parmesan.

STEP 5: Mix the cheese in with a spatula or spoon. Do not turn on the food processor.

STEP 6: Put the nugget mixture onto a baking tray lined with greased butter paper.

STEP 7: Use the spatula or spoon to spread the mixture on the tray as thick or thin as you want. Divide the mixture into bite-sized squares.

STEP 8 (COATING): Coat your nuggets in all-purpose flour, then in an egg wash, and lastly in breadcrumbs.

PROTIP: If you find it hard to handle the mixture, freeze it for 20 minutes and then proceed to coating.

STEP 9: Place your coated breadcrumbs onto a baking tray lined with greased baking sheet.

STEP 10: Bake the nuggets for 12 mins at 430 F or 220 C. Note that the bottom of the nugget will be browner than the top. Use the same setting for air fryer too.

Expert Tips

• Don’t use store-bought ground chicken. It has a lot of moisture and won’t give you a firm nugget mix. Instead, use a food processor to process chicken breast or thigh.
• Use the chilies as a placeholder to put in any vegetable you’d like to sneak in. Honestly, nuggets are a great way to get in some broccoli or cauliflower unnoticed.
• Parmesan cheese is a hard cheese and you can easily add more stringy cheese to this recipe if you’d like more of a cheese-pull kinda nugget.
• The best way to coat the nuggets is to keep one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry. This prevents any clumpy messes that we have all been into.
• Adding water to the beaten egg used for coating will give you crispier nuggets.

More similar recipes you’ll love!

Do you have any questions? I’m happy to help! And of course, If you try this recipe, I’d loveeeee to see it or simply hear about it! Hit me up in the comment section below and I’ll get back to asap! Happy Cooking!

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Chili chicken Parmesan Nuggets

An easy to follow chicken nugget recipe, made with minced chicken blended with peppers and fresh Parmesan.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snacks, Sides and Starters

Cuisine Fusion Food

Diet Halal

Prep Time 44 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 60 nuggets

Calories 69kcal

Author Wajiha

Equipment

• 1 food processor
• 1 oven or airfryer

Ingredients

For the Nugget Mixture

• 1 large egg
• 4 whole serrano green chilies
• 4 whole red chilies or bell pepper
• 8 cloves garlic or 1 whole garlic peeled and washed
• 1 + 1/2 cup fresh shredded Parmesan shredded
• 450 gm boneless chicken breast or thigh
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 + 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon vinegar.
• 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce.
• 1 teaspoon onion powder optional

For the Coating

• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup cold water to mix with egg
• 1 cup All purpose Flour
• Regular or Panko bread crumbs
• Oil for frying

Instructions

Nugget Mix

• Remove the stems of the red and green chilies. Deseed the chilies as well if you don’t want your nuggets to be spicy.
• Pat your chicken breast dry and process it in a food processor along with the chilies and garlic.
• Add the seasonings, sauces, and egg to the food processor and process the chicken again.
• Add shredded parmesan and fold it with a spatula or spoon. We want the cheese strands to stay intact.
• Line a tray with butter paper and spray it with oil. Transfer your nugget mixture onto the tray and press it in to form a uniform slab. Spread the mixture as thin or thick as you want your nuggets to turn out.
• Use the spatula to divide the mixture into bite-sized nuggets. It doesn't have to be perfect. You can put the tray in the freezer at this point if you want your mixture to harden up a little bit to make it easier to handle. Or you can proceed to the next step directly.

Coating

• Beat egg with water for the coating.
• Coat the nuggets in three layers. Start with all-purpose flour, then dip in eggs and coat in bread crumbs.
• You can fry or bake the nuggets at this point or freeze them to cook later

Baking/Frying

• Frying – Add around 2 cups cooking oil to a deep pan and let the oil heat up at medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Drop the chicken nuggets in to the pan and fry until golden brown.
• Baking/Airfrying – Line the baking tray with parchment paper and grease it with oil. Bake at 220℃ for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Serve hot with any dip of your choice.

Notes

• Don’t use store-bought ground chicken. It has a lot of moisture and won’t give you a firm nugget mix. Instead, use a food processor to process chicken breast or thigh.
• If you don’t have parmesan, substitute it with any other hard cheese you like.
• The best way to coat the nuggets is to keep one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry. This prevents any clumpy messes.
• Use the chilies as a placeholder to put in any vegetable you’d like to sneak in. 
• You can freeze the nuggets for use at a later date for up to 3 to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1nugget | Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 52IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Baked Parmesan Chicken Nuggets Recipe appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

It’s pretty hard to make my family eat healthy. With the exception of Tangy Lentil Oats, and now these Skewers, I have to improvise every frikkin time I want them to eat better. But skewers, my family loves! Like my chicken shashlik skewers are a top family favorite for low-carb nights. Things we do for love I swear.

I loveeeee that this recipe works with literally any hard veggie I like. I use it on days when I kinda wanna do a fridge clean-up. #iykyk

Ingredients and Substitutes

You probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry right now. Here’s what you need:

• Vegetables – Feel free to use any vegetable you like. This is the perfect time to utilize that produce in your pantry you’ve been ignoring. I went with potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and carrots. I’ve also tried the recipe with sweet potato, zucchini, eggplant, cabbage, and tomatoes.
• Dry spices – You need paprika, black pepper, salt and garlic powder. Add a pinch of white pepper powder to add that extra kick.
• Sauces – You need a couple of pantry staples to make the sweet and tangy sauce. Oyster sauce, ketchup, vinegar, honey, and sesame oil.
  • Skip sesame oil if you don’t have it.
  • Oyster sauce substitute: equal part combo of soy sauce and bbq sauce.
• Garnish – Sesame seeds add such a great crunch, texture, and flavor to the skewers. To make it extra nutritious, top it off with flax seeds or pumpkin seeds.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Instructions

I’ve put together all the steps in a simple pictorial for you to see how easy this is to make.

STEP 1: Prepare the glaze/sauce by mixing all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

STEP 2: Chop all your vegetables into 1/2-inch squares.

STEP 3: Peel and cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Put it in a pot along with salt and vinegar.

STEP 4: Parboil potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes or until the knife can cut through a piece.

PRO TIP: Boil your potatoes with salt and vinegar. The vinegar will help your potatoes to remain firm even if you overboil them by mistake. 

STEP 5: Toss all the vegetables and potatoes in a bowl.

STEP 6: Season it with spices.

STEP 7: Thread the vegetables onto wooden or metal skewers.

STEP 8: Place the skewers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and grease well. Grease the top of the skewers with oil and bake in a preheated oven at 220 C or 425 F for 7 minutes. Flip the skewers, glaze with sweet sauce, and bake for another 5 minutes.

STEP 9: You can also grill these on an outdoor grill or a stove top at medium-high heat. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side and glaze with oil while it’s cooking. Towards the end of the cooking, glaze with the sauce right there on the pan.

STEP 10: Once your skewers are baked/grilled, glaze with leftover sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds as garnish.

EXPERT TIP:

• If you are using wooden skewers like me, soak them in water for 20 minutes before using, this prevents the sticks from burning while on an open flame.
• Glazing the skewers with the sauce while its ON the grill/pan creates a very nice deep flavor. Some of the glaze gets cooked and sticks onto the kebabs and when you glaze it later oh la la la ! This step isn’t a must but definitely something to try.
• If you are afraid some of the vegetables you have chosen aren’t going to cook properly in 15 mins, you can boil them for a bit with the potatoes to be sure.
• Adding sesame seed as a garnish adds a great layer of texture and taste. You can also opt for other seeds like flax, or pumpkin.

Pairing Suggestions

I absolutely love serving these as is, when I serve them as an appetizer. If you want to make these for brunch or high tea, you can use little toothpicks instead to make them look super cute!

These kebabs go so well a side with this Chicken Malai Boti Pulao. I’ve made them as a starter during my Indo-Chinese theme dinners, and it’s always gone within minutes. When my man embarks on his “I-don’t-eat-junk-anymore” phase, I make these veggie skewers and serve them with my hot and sour soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

More vegetarian recipes you’ll enjoy

Do you have any questions? I’m happy to help! And of course, If you try this recipe, I’d loveeeee to see it or simply hear about it! Hit me up in the comment section below and I’ll get back to asap! Happy Cooking!

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Sweet Sour Vegetable Skewers

A nice and easy, healthy appetizer, made by marinating vegetables in spices and glazing them later on a grill pan.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Fusion Food

Diet Halal, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 sticks

Calories 35kcal

Author Wajiha

Equipment

• 18 bamboo or metal kebab sticks

Ingredients

FOR SKEWERS

• 3 medium bell peppers cut in squares
• 2 large potato peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large carrot peeled and sliced
• 2 large onion cut in 1/2 inch squares
• 1 teaspoon salt while parboiling
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Oil or butter for grilling

Seasoning

• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder zeera
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

FOR SAUCE

• 2 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoon vinegar
• 3 tabkespoon ketchup or tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoon sesame oil

Instructions

Sauce

• Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and form a uniform mixure. Set aside

Skewers

• Parboil the cut up potatoes for 2-3 minutes in 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp vinegar.
• Drain the water from potatoes and allow them to cool down.
• Toss all the cut up vegetables in a bowl along with potatoes.
• Add seasoning to the vegetables and mix well.
• Thread the vegetables on to sticks or skewers in any order you like.

Cooking the vegetable kebabs

• Grilling/pan frying.

  For stove top, use a grill pan and heat it at medium high heat. Add a little oil to grease the pan and add the skewers one by one. While on the pan, glaze the skewers with the sweet sour sauce and oil. Flip over the skewers after 4 minutes. Now glaze this side with the sauce as well and finish cooking after another 3 minutes.
• Baking/Air frying

  Preheat the oven at 220℃ or 425 ℉. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and grease with oil. Place the skewers on top and spray cooking oil on top. Baking for 7 minutes, then bring out the tray and flip the skewers over. Glaze with sweet sauce and bake for another 5 minutes.
• Once baked/grilled, use the left over sauce and drizzle it generously all over the skewers. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot.

Notes

• If you are using wooden skewers like me, soak them in water for 20 minutes before using, this prevents the sticks from burning while on an open flame.
• Feel free to use any vegetable you like. This is the perfect time to utilize that produce in your pantry you’ve been ignoring. I went with potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and carrots. I’ve also tried the recipe with sweet potato, zucchini, eggplant, cabbage, and tomatoes.
• You can marinate the vegetables and thread them overnight to grill the next day. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1stick | Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 969IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg

If you still need a healthy fix, click here to browse through the healthy recipes on the blog.

The post Sweet And Sour Grilled Vegetable Skewers appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

Growing up, Spinach was one of my nemesis, we just didn’t get along much. Until one fine day, my mom made this beautiful Spinach Raita that I now loooooove and crave. I love pairing this raita with Pulao rice, and now that I am trying to eat healthier, I like to use it as a dip for almost every snack I have.

It’s the easiest, most South Asian thing to add to your menu. Plus not really spicy (unlike our other foods).

How is Palak raita different from regular raita?

So the regular raita that you’ve probably seen served with Biryani or pulao is simply beaten yogurt with a couple of spices and vegetables sometimes. This spinach raita is a little more bougie since it has a layer of “Tarka” or tempered spices that sit on top of it. A tarka consists of several whole spices fried in oil and simply poured onto a dish ready to serve. Several Pakistani yogurt-based recipes use Tarka or “baghaar” to elevate the taste.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients for my palak raita are super basic, and you probably have them in your pantry right now.

• Yogurt – Full-fat yogurt is ideal for any raita recipe for its rich taste. But feel free to substitute with low-fat options or even non-dairy options if that’s your thing.
• Spinach – Most leafy spinach varieties can be used here. Just remove the stems if they are too thick. You can also use pre-frozen or blanched spinach for this recipe.
• Oil – I love the flavor of olive oil with this recipe, although any neutral oil or ghee can be used.
• Whole spices – Cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and whole dried red chilies. There aren’t any alternatives here, but you can use fresh green chilies instead if you are out of dried ones
• Red chili powder – Use any red chili powder that you have, paprika will work too.
• Garlic – Freshly chopped garlic works here. I’ve found the taste of garlic paste a little bitter for this recipe.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Variations

• Make it Spicy – You can add more red chili powder or Thai green chilies to the Tarka to make your yogurt spicier!
• Add vegetables – Try adding shredded zucchini or eggplant to the spinach to increase the nutritional value of the raita. Or really any other vegetable you like
• Crunch – You can add brown fried onions on top of the raita to add a layer of crunch to it.
• Finishing Spices – Add chat masala or a dash of hot sauce on top of the raita.

How to make Palak raita

The recipe is overall super simple. I’ve put together a pictorial to lay out the easy steps. It requires 3 simple things, beaten yogurt, cooked spinach, and finishing tarka.

STEP 1 – Beat yogurt and water to make a smooth base.

STEP 2 – In a skillet, add spinach and spices with a little oil and saute at medium heat.

STEP 3 – Saute for 2 to 3 mins or until all the water from the spinach has evaporated.

STEP 4 – Add the cooked spinach to your yogurt.

STEP 5- You can mix the spinach in, or leave it in little dollops.

STEP 6 – Prepare Tarka in the skillet by adding garlic, button red chili, cumin, and mustard seeds in oil.

STEP 7 – Fry the spices until the garlic turns golden. Turn off the heat and add red chili powder.

STEP 8 – Immediately pour the Tarka on the yogurt and swirl around a little.

Serve the raita as in along with your mains or nachos. The sizzling sound that you get when the oil hits the yogurt, is what I live for people!! And you are done! It is THAT easy!

Expert Tips

• Make sure to wash your spinach properly with water. The best way is to dunk it in a bowl of cold water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then pick up the leaves and you will see all the dirt settle on the bottom of the bowl. Now you can simply rinse the spinach and start chopping
• Remove the stems of the spinach if they are too thick. And remove any wilted parts of the leaves.

What can palak raita be paired with?

• Keema bhara paratha
• Aloo ka paratha
• Use as a dip for pita bread, nachos, or papad.
• Serve alongside roasted chicken like Lahori Chargha or Chicken Sajji

More Recipes like this

Do you have any questions? I’m happy to help! And of course, If you try this recipe, I’d loveeeee to see it or simply hear about it! Hit me up in the comment section below and I’ll get back to asap! Happy Cooking!

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Spinach Yogurt Dip (Palak Raita)

This is a form of yogurt dip made with blanched chopped spinach and spices, topped with tempered spices,and garlic in ghee/oil

Course Dips & Condiments, sauces

Cuisine South Asian

Diet Halal, Low Calorie

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Calories 146kcal

Author Wajiha

Ingredients

FOR YOGURT SAUCE

• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder

FOR TARKA (TEMPERING)

• 6 to 7 tbsp oil or ghee (any that you like)
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds saabit zeera
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds rye dana
• 3 to 4 whole red chilies
• 1/4 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (or paprika)

Instructions

• In your serving bowl, whisk yogurt with water until smooth.
• In a small skillet, add a tablespoon oil along with spinach, salt, black pepper powder and red chili flakes. Cook spinach in its own water at low to medium heat.
• When the water from the spinach dries, turn off the heat and add the spinach to the yogurt and small dollops. You can mix it in the yogurt or leave it as is.
• In the same skillet, add oil, garlic, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole red chilies and. Fry the spices in the oil at medium heat, till the garlic turns golden.
• Turn off the heat, and add red chilli powder. Let the powder sizzle in the hot oil.
• Pour the hot oil onto the spinach yogurt directly. Stir slightly and serve with rice or paratha.

Notes

• You can add more water to the yogurt if you’d like a thinner consistency. 
• You can use pre-blanched spinach for this recipe too. Just season it with the spices mentioned.
• The yogurt sauce can be eaten directly and tastes best at room temperature.
• This palak raita can be stored in the fridge for about a week. Store in an airtight container. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 681mg | Potassium: 473mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 2829IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 237mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Palak Raita – Spinach Yogurt Dip appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

What are bun kababs

“Bun Kebab” literally translates to well, Bun and Kebabs. It’s a fried kebab in a bun, slathered with chutney and other delicious stuff hanging out of it. The kabab can either be vegetarian, like this one or made with meat or eggs. It’s one of THE most popular street style food in Pakistan and is somewhat slightly close to the popular Indian snack “vada pav”.

If you are a fan of Pakistani restaurant-style food, you will love my classic Kheer (rice pudding) and Karachi Tikka samosa recipe.

Ingredients

Don’t be alarmed if the ingredient list seems a tad bit long or a little foreign to you. There are only a few ingredients that you may not have in your pantry, and I will mention substitutes for them too.

• Green tamarind Chutney – The chutney for this recipe is a cross between a sweet tamarind chutney and a spicy mint green chutney. You will need tamarind pulp, Yogurt, Green Chilies (serrano), garlic, Salt, cumin powder, black pepper powder, coriander leaves, Mint leaves
• Split Chickpea (chana dal) and potato patties – This recipe uses a vegetarian patty. You can use a different chickpea to potato ratio if you prefer. Its boiled with ginger, garlic, button red chilies, cumin and carom seeds and of course, salt. And then potatoes, some coriander and onions are added. The extra tartness of the patties comes through mango powder (aamchoor) and chaat masala.
• Eggs – The highlight of this recipe is the beaten egg coating that is THE hallmark of the street style bun kababs.
• Cooking Oil and/or Butter – Any cooking oil of your choice to fry the egg coated kababs. You will also need butter or oil while toasting the buns, but this is optional.
• Buns – The best buns for a good bun kabab are the round buns with no sesame seeds.
• Veggies – Most common vegetables in a bun kabab are onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes. This is mostly a flexible topping and be as creative or as simple as you want to.
• Other condiments – Some versions use ketchup, mayo, a simple omelette or coleslaw in their bun kababs. Again, this is totally optional and upto your preference.

Substitutions

• Mango powder – You can use tamarind pulp instead (more details in recipe card)
• Chaat masala – Just skip chaat masala altogether and use 1/2 tsp of crushed red chili flakes
• Round seedless buns – Use dinner rolls instead.
• Eggs – I’d definitely not recommend skipping it. But IF for dietary restrictions, you cannot have eggs, use all purpose flour to coat the patties. You need something to coat the patties because they are delicate.
• Whole red chilies – Use Crushed red chilies
• Coriander leaves aka Cilantro – If you are not a cilantro fan, use parsley

Instructions

Making the Daal and potato Patties

Everything starts a day earlier, when you soak split chickpeas (dal) overnight or for 12 hours. Soaking dals are always important to get rid of any antinutrients. Just change the water once or twice.

NOTE: If you live in a hot humid climate, keep the soaked dal in fridge overnight rather than on the counter.

Drain all the water and transfer dal into a pressure cooker or a normal pot. Add all the boiling masala in the pot. Add 5 cups of water or as much needed for a pressure cooker.

The dal needs to cook long enough so that each grain can be broken up by hand. It should be that tender. IF there is still water left in the pot, dry it out at high flame. Don’t drain this water away, because it holds a lot of flavor and salt. You can also add your potatoes in the dal itself to boil it. I already had pre-boiled potatoes which is why I didn’t need to add it to my dal pot.

After your dal and potatoes have cooled down, chuck everything in a food processor, all seasonings, onions, coriander etc and just process till you get a smooth mix. And viola! your kebab mixture is ready.

My potatoes were boiled separately, so I had to make the patty mixture outside of the food processor.

You should end up with a smooth patty mixture. This is a great time to do a taste test to check seasoning and spices.

NOTE: IF you want, you can freeze your kebabs at this point to use for a later date.

After shaping your patties, you are going to prepare the egg coating. To do this, beat eggs in a bowl with an electric beater for 5 to 6 mins. Your eggs should look light and fluffy. Dip the kebabs in the frothy eggs and be very gentle while handling your kebabs now. Use a large spoon to coat the kebabs with eggs. Place the coated kebabs on a greased heated frying pan.

Flip the kebabs once the egg gets golden on one side. Add another tbsp of oil after flipping kebabs.

Stack all the fried kebabs in a plate ready for assembly.

Making the Green Tamarind Chutney

The chutney in this recipe is different from the regular mint chutney or the sweet tamarind chutney. This is a specifically street style food chutney which works with a lot of other street food too. Its sweet and spicy at the same time and literally takes 2 mins to whip up. Just put all the listed ingredients in a blender and viola! Its ready!

Assembling Bun Kababs

The street style bun kebabs are almost fried in oil. I think we can dial it down a notch at home, mostly because we eat it pretty regularly. Toast both sides of the bun in the same frying pan. With butter is alwaysss the way to go but of course, skip it if you want.

Add a layer of chutney on the toasted buns, and any other veggie you want. Place the kebab and now top it off with some onions. Here’s where you can go crazy and do as many toppings as you like. Add ketchup or cucumber or tomatoes or coleslaw or a fried egg! Close the bun kebab with top toasted bun and digg innnn!

Expert Tips

• Always make sure to dry all the water of the boiled dal and make it as dry as possible. IF you are dal is very wet, it can break the patties.
• Use a tablespoon of oil when adding egg coated kababs to the frying pan, the eggs tend to absorb all the oil, so you want to be careful. Add another tablespoon after you flip the kababs.
• The kababs are towards the delicate side. Handle with a little care when your dipping them in egg. A flat spatula is best
• If you are making these for a high tea, you can easily fry the kababs in advance, like about 2 3 hours in advance, and simply assemble them when needed.
• Dipping the onions in vinegar or lemon juice will keep them fresh for longer and take care of that bitterness they hold.
• Toasting the buns both sides will keep them crispier for longer and the inner side won’t get soggy quickly after you’ve slathered it with chutney.

FAQS

Can I exclude eggs / etc ingredients from the recipe?

Eggs play an important role in keeping the patties hold their shape. If you are planning to skip eggs, I’d recommend coating the patties in plain flour before frying. Keep in mind, that they are going to be delicate, as they aren’t meant to be fried on their own.

Can I skip potatoes from the recipe?

Potatoes act as a binding agent, I will NOT recommend skipping it.

Is this recipe too spicy?

Pakistani streetfood is definitely on the spicy side. Reduce the heat by excluding green chilies from the chutney and reducing the red chilies by half.

Why do my patties break?

These patties are generally delicate to begin with, so improper handling or technique can cause it to break. First of, make sure to always use dal with all the water from the boiling pot drained, and be gentle while flipping and dipping the patties. If you still find your patties break, add 1 tsp of cornflour in the patty mixture.

Similar Recipes

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Bun Kebab

A popular Pakistani street style burger made with split chickpea and potato patties, chutneys and a toasted bun.

Course Breakfast & Brunch, Snack, Snacks, Sides and Starters

Cuisine South Asian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 18 kebabs

Calories 300kcal

Author Wajiha

Ingredients

Split Chickpea (chana dal) Boil masala

• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 cup split chickpeas chana dal soaked overnight
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ajwain carom seems
• 8 to 10 whole button red chilies
• 2 + 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cups water

Kebab mix

• 2 medium potatoes boiled* 500 gm
• 1 cup coriander leaves (cilantro) or half a bunch
• 1 big onion
• 2 tsp mango powder / khattayi powder*
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp chat masala

Green chutney

• 4 tbsp tamarind pulp
• 6 tbsp Yogurt
• 4 Green Chilies serrano
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 cup Coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup Mint leaves
• Water to dilute if needed.

Assembling

• 12 Round buns or pav without sesame seeds
• 2 medium thinly sliced onions
• 2 eggs
• kebabs
• Cooking oil for frying kebabs
• chutney
• ketchup optional
• 2 Cucumber sliced or other veggies optional

Instructions

DAL KEBAB PATTIES

• Soak split chickpeas (dal) overnight or for 12 hours. Change water once or twice. (see notes)
• Drain all the water and transfer dal into a pressure cooker or a normal pot.
• Add all the boiling masala in the pot.
• Add 5 cups of water or as much needed for a pressure cooker.
• Cook the lentils for about 30 mins or so, to soften the dal. Check a single grain to see if you can break it with your hand. It should be that tender. Dry out the excess liquid. (you can also chuck in potatoes in the dal to cook them together if you don’t want to boil the potatoes separately)
• Allow the dal/potatoes to cool down, then add it to a food processor. Add all the other ingredients mentioned for the kebabs.
• Process till you get a nice smooth patty mixture.
• Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly
• Make round medium sized patties (that fits in the buns you have)

CHUTNEY

• Add all ingredients for chutney in a blender and blend away to make a smooth chutney. You can add more yogurt or tamarind if you want.
• Adjust the seasoning according to your liking. Add water if you want a thinner consistency.
• Set aside

ASSEMBLING

• Break 2 eggs in a bowl and beat with an electric beater for 5 to 6 mins, until the eggs turn nice and frothy.
• Place a frying pan on stove at medium flame with about a tbsp oil.
• Dip the kebabs in the beaten eggs. Use a large spoon to coat the kebabs. Place the coated kebabs on the heated frying pan.
• Flip the kebabs once the egg gets golden on one side. Add another tbsp of oil after flipping kebabs. Set aside.
• Toast buns with or without butter in the same pan.
• Add a layer of chutney on the toasted buns, place kebab and sliced onions on top. Add ketchup or cucumber or any other condiment of choice. Close the bun kebab with top toasted bun and serve hot with more chutney and onions on the side.
  

Notes

• If you live in a hot humid climate, soak the lentils on the counter for 4 hours, and soak overnight in the fridge.
• If you don’t have mango or khatai powder, add 1 tbsp of tamarind paste during the last 10 mins of boiling the split chickpeas
• You can boil the potatoes together with the dal as well.
• This recipe is definitely spicy, reduce red chilies and green chilies by half if you can’t eat spicy food.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 464mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g

The post Street style Bun Kebab appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

What are Cheese Chicken Kababs?

“Kabab”, which is spelled in many difference ways ( kebap, kabob, kebob, or kebab) simply means piece of meat or vegetable thread onto a skewer and grilled. It is a traditional style of cooking in the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean, and South Asia. In South Asia, kababs also refers to patty style appetizers, like spinach and potato cakes.

The chicken cheddar kebab is a fusion variation of its traditional counter part : The chicken seekh kabab. They are made with mince and shaped into long kababs on skewers. Usually made on an open grill, you can get the perfect results at home on a stove top.

Traditionally, when “cheese” is used in Indian and Pakistani food, it is usually Paneer i.e Cottage cheese. Whenever European style cheeses are used in Desi cooking, it automatically becomes a style of fusion food. Although, most mainstream Indian Pakistani food now, use European style cheese in a lot of recipes.

I was going through my recipes and realised I haven’t made any traditional skewer style kababs for the blog, which is ironic because we make SOME form of kebabs almost every week! So here it is, in all its glory and simplicity the chicken cheddar kababs.

Ingredients you need to make the kebabs

Here are the 12 ingredients you will need to make Chicken cheddar kebab, plus some notes on ingredient selection.

• Ground Chicken – I’ve used chicken mince from my local store but you can make your own by adding boneless chicken into a food processor, which is better in any case. For using other types of meat, read the FAQS below
  
• Coriander and Mint leaves – Substitute mint leaves with more coriander if you don’t have any or the other way round. If you are one of those who don’t like coriander, substitute with parsley.
  
• Red and Green chilies – The red and green chilies I’ve used for this recipe are called “Indian Chilies” or “karhayi”chilies in Pakistan. Theyare mild as compared to Serrano or Bird’s eye chilies. I’d recommend using Jalapenos if you can’t find these. You can also use Red bell peppers instead. Ofcourse, if you can’t find any, skip the red chili altogether and add more green instead.
  
• Onions and garlic – I’ve used red onion for this recipe, but use any that you have at hand. To keep the moisture minimum, I’ve used chopped garlic instead of paste. You can use garlic powder too if you want too.
  
• Powdered Spicesand Seasoning
  • Paprika – You can substitute with Kashmiri lal mirch if you want
  • Blackpepper – Bring out the perfect balance of spices in this recipe.
  • Garam masala powder – This bring out the earthy flavor of the recipe. Use Allspice powder instead or skip it entirely
  • Salt – Adequate amount of salt is important to bring out the flavor in your recipe. Remember, when seasoning kababs, you are also seasoning all the additives, like eggs and herbs etc. which is why don’t be stingy with that salt.
    
• Cheese – For this recipe, you need non-stringy cheese with a mild flavor of its own. I’m using mild English Cheddar because that’s what my family likes. Feel free to use any according to your taste. Sharp Cheddar, Emmental and Monetery Jack are all excellent options! (See more about cheese selection in the FAQS section)
  
• Egg – The egg helps in adding a little binding and tenderness to the kebabs.
  
• Breadcrumbs – All good kababs need “fillers”. These are ingredients that give body to the kebab while avoiding shrinkage, that happens when you grill any kind of mince meat. Homemade or store brought, both breadcrumbs work!
  
• Oil – You only need oil for panfrying, air frying and coating your hands while shaping the kababs.

How to make and shape Cheese Kababs

Click Here to watch steps in a Reel I made for these kebabs

STEP 1 – Make the kabab mixture/dough

• To do so, you simply chuck all your herbs and onion into a food processor and process until its nice and finely chopped.

• Then you need to squeeze out all the water from the mixture. I wear gloves while doing this, because my skin is senstitive to garlic. You can also use a nutmilk bag or a cheese cloth to do this.

• Add the herb mixture and all the other ingredients in a bowl and knead them by hand. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment would also do the job.

• I add cheese last so that it gets less time while being kneaded. This avoid cheese to soften up from the heat of our hands.

STEP 2 – Shaping the Kebabs

• To divide the mixture into equal portions, use a tablespoon or an icecream scooper. Scoop out small portions on to a plate.

PROTIP
I find the easiest way to shape these kababs are when they are cold. So after portioning, I stick the plate in the freezer for about 15 mins before shaping. This makes the mixture firm and easy to handle

• To shape the kababs, grease the palm of your hands with oil so that the mixture doesn’t stick. Shape them into thick cigars by squeezing and rolling them in your palms.

• Then you insert a skewer on one end of the kabab.

NOTE:
I am using a makeshift skewer aka straw for this step. You can use the regular metal ones or wooden sticks too. I shape the kebab around the straw some more and pull it out. IF you are
using a wooden or metal skewer, you can also leave the kababs on it and grill it as is.

• Shape all the kebabs, pull out from the straw and prepare to pan fry.

STEP 3 – Cooking the kebabs

• I panfry these kebabs at medium heat for 3 to 4 mins, tossing and flipping for even browning.

NOTE:
Avoid overcooking the kebabs as it will lead to dry hard kebabs and burnt cheese.
Chicken mince cooks very fast, don’t worry about it being raw.

Best Cooking Method for Chicken Kababs

In order of the best results:

1. On an outdoor charcoal grill – This is usually how restaurants make skewer kababs.
2. On the stove – Pan-frying or grilling is the best indoor way of making these, in my opinion
3. In an Air-Fryer – Less oil than pan frying, but similar results taste and texture wise.
4. In the Oven – Easiest to do, but definitely not as tender as the pan-fried ones

FAQS

Can I make this recipe with any other meat?

Sure! You can make this recipe with beef, lamb or mutton. You will need to add 1 inch chunk of ginger in your herb mix. And your grilling / pan frying time would increase to 6 – 7 mins. DO NOT skip the skewers for beef kebabs, as it can shrink a lot without it. I would say this, beef kababs require a special set of instructions and tips that would go beyond the scope of this post but hopefully I should write one soon on just Beef cheese kababs.

Why does my cheese melt and burn in the pan?

When I posted this recipe on Instagram, most of you have had this issue with other cheese kababs recipes you’ve tried. This is something you can’t avoid completely. There will be some oozing whenever there is cheese incorporated in kabab and when the kabab has no coating. But we can minimize it by a LOT

1. Using Pre-Shredded Cheese
   
   Pre-shredded cheese packs you get in stores are actually better for this recipe! Those packs use corn flour to coat the cheese strands and this helps in stabilizing your cheese while frying and not ooze out and burn
   
   IF you are shredding cheese yourself at home, coat them with 1/2 tsp of cornflour and freeze before using for the kababs for BEST results! You can apply this tip for any recipe kabab recipe that uses shredded cheese in the mixture.
   
   
2. Avoiding Over-browning or Overcooking
   Most of the time, if you are pan frying the kababs longer than needed, the cheese WILL melt and ooze out regardless of how good they were coated with cornflour. Make sure you are not cooking them longer than instructed.

Can I make the kababs without egg?

Some of my readers avoid consuming egg so I’ve tried the recipe for you all without eggs too. You can skip the egg and add an extra half onion instead for similar results.

Can I freeze Chicken Kebabs? And for how long?

Yes! Absolutely! To freeze the kababs, pan fry them for 2 mins or until they change color. Let the kababs cool, transfer them into ziplock bags and freeze for upto 2 months. Freezing the kababs raw is not such a good idea, because they leach out moisture that way and you end up with dry kebabs when you fry them eventually.

Can I shape the kababs without the skewers?

The hole provides an airvent. When you grill the kebabs, they shrink towards the pan, which makes the hole bigger but overall preserves the shape of your kebabs. You can still shape the kebabs without a skewer but you might see minor reduction in size of the kebab once cooked.

Why does my kebab become sticky and hard to handle?

One answer – Moisture. If your mixture is holding a lot of moisture, it will become difficult to handle and shape. Here are a few things that help

• Ground the chicken yourself from a breast or thigh fillet instead of buying mince.
• Squeeze out water from the herb mixture to reduce overall water content
• Freeze the kebabs for a few minutes before shaping.
• Last resort is to add more bread crumbs to increase binding.

Serving Suggestions

These kababs are a meal on their own honestly! I love the fact that they are so uni-cuisine. The flavors are so neutral that they go well with everything! Here are a couple of my favorite pairing

• A simple kebab platter with Mint Chutney, and sliced onions on the side
• Serve with boiled rice and lentils for lunch.
• Serve with masala dal and roti or flat bread.
• And My personal favorite! for kebab wraps with more cheddar, onions and lettuce and a tortilla to go with
• You can also always go simple with a side salad.

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Chicken Cheddar Kabab

Soft and tender skewer chicken kababs made with simple spices, herbs and cheddar

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Fusion Food

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Freezing time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 51 minutes minutes

Servings 16 kababs

Calories 125kcal

Author Wajiha

Ingredients

• 500 gm chicken mince
• 1/4 of a bunch of a cilantro pack coriander
• 1/3 cup mint leaves
• 3 whole Indian Red chilies see notes
• 3 whole Green chilies see notes
• 1 small onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 2 teaspoon blackpepper powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder See notes
• 1½ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 120 gm (see notes)
• Cooking Oil for coating and grilling

Special equipment

• Skewers / BBQ sticks / Drinking straw

Instructions

• Making kebab mixture
• In a food processor, add cilantro, mint leaves, onion, garlic, red and green chilies. Process until they are finely chopped.
• Wear a glove and squeeze all the liquid out of the chopped mix. You can also use a nutmilk bag or a cheese cloth to do this. Discard the liquid.
• In a bowl, add the chopped mixture and all the remaining ingredients except oil and cheese. Mix or knead to make a uniform kebab mixture.
• Add cheese at the end and mix until fully combined.
• 
  Shaping the Kebabs
• To divide the mixture into equal portions, use an icecream scooper or a tablespoon. Place each scoop of mixture on a plate.
• Put the plate in the freezer for 15 mins and then take it out for shaping
• Pour 3 to 4 tablespoon oil in a cup and use some to grease the palm of your hands.
• Take a portion of mixture and use the palm of your hands to roll it into a rough cigar shape.
• Insert a thick skewer (or straw or wooden bbq stick) through one tip of the cigar and bring out on the other side.
• Use the palm of your hands to perfect the shape of the cigars.
• Carefully remove the kabab from the skewer by sliding the skewer out and placing the kabab back on the tray.
• IF you want to cook the kababs with the skewers then leave the skewers intact.
• 
  Cooking the KababsOn the Stove (Gas or Electric)
• For pan frying, place a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat on the stove. You can also use a grill pan.
• Add oil to cover the base of the skillet.
• When oil becomes hot (3 to 4 mins), add kababs to the pan without overcrowding it.
• Use a straight spatula or tongs to turn the kababs frequently, allowing all sides to turn golden brown evenly.
• Cook for a total of 5 mins.
• Transfer kababs to your serving dish once they are done.
  

In the Air fryer

• Line the airfryer tray with parchment paper.
• Place kebabs in a single layer and use cooking spray grease them.
• Air-fry at 200 C (400 F) for 3 mins.
• Then flip the kebabs and cook for another 3 mins.
• 
  Oven-Baked
• Preheat the oven to 200 C (395 F)
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, greased with butter or oil
• Place the kabab on the pan and place it in the middle rack of the oven. Turn on the top heat (broiler) on High (550°F/287°C).
• Bake for a total of 8 mins, flipping the kababs at 5 min mark.

Notes

• The fresh red and green chilies I’ve used are large and mild. You can use Jalapenos if you can’t find medium sized green chilies. You can also use a piece of red bell pepper if you can’t find red chilies.
• I have used mild English Cheddar, but you can use any that you like, Sharp Cheddar and Monterary Jack both go well with this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese is better for this recipe because those cheeses are covered with a layer of cornflour

Nutrition

Serving: 1kebab | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 228mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g

The post Cheddar Chicken Kabab appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

Tikka flavored chicken Nugget is basically a chicken mix seasoned with Indian / Pakistani Tikka spices to give you this awesome kick in the regular nugget scene. And If I may recommend, pair it with mint chutney instead of ketchup and see the fireworks happen! And don’t you worry, it’s kid friendly too!

You guys already know my obsession with the Chicken tikka in general. Which gave birth to fusions like The famous Chicken Tikka Biryani, Chicken tikka sandwiches, chicken tikka nachos and now this. I think I might be outta control here. But ohhh well!

Here are a few easy steps to make this amazing fusion recipe by yourself

Home-made Chicken Tikka Nuggets

I know somethings seem daunting to do at home but I assure you, making nuggets at home is EASIER than you think.

Which chicken cut to select?

Chicken nuggets are made with chicken mix or a chicken paste of sorts and made into nugget shaped molded by hand.

Ideal part of the chicken for any nugget are the thigh fillets of the chicken. They are juicy, tender and work really well when grounded.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have any at hand. So I opted for the chicken mince that I had at hand to work with. It isn’t the best choice but sometimes you gotta work with what you have!

Making the nugget mix

You start by chucking 3 bread slices in a food processor and making crumbs. If you are using boneless chicken cubes, then chuck that into the food processor after making bread crumbs, along with all the spices and you’ll have your nugget mix ready in 5 mins

If you are using chicken mince like me, then combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to form a uniform paste. This is a great time to fry a small piece of the mix to do a taste test. I haven’t made the marination very spicy because I assume your also making these for your kids. I did use Kashmiri red chili instead of the regular one (which is milder).

Alternatively, you can also use a box tikka mix instead to make these nuggets.

If you are going for a real authentic chicken tikka flavor, you can smoke the chicken mix with a small piece of coal to give it that nice smoky tikka flavor.

How to shape the nuggets

Traditionally, you can grease your hands with oil and shape the nuggets like kebabs etc to form the regular shaped nuggets.

But I found an easier way to shape the nuggets. I line a tray with butter paper and grease it. Then I dump all my nugget mix on the tray. Grease my hand with oil and spread out the mix as thick or as thin as I want it to be. This tray goes in the freezer for about an hour or 2. Long enough to harden up the nugget mix.

When you take out the tray, the mix is hard enough to allow a knife to cut through it and create nice clean cuts. I cut squares but you can cut any fun shape that you want to.

After you get your nuggets cut into the desired shape, all that is left to do is coat it.

Crumb Coating the Nuggets

The coating sequence is pretty basic, Flour, then Egg wash and then bread crumbs. You can also repeat egg wash and crumbs if you want a thick crust layer.

For the egg wash, I added 1/2 cup of water and little bit of salt as well so as the crust has a little flavor too. The water just makes the crust crispier.

That is literally pretty much it!

You can fry it or bake it! Your call. I shallow fry it at medium flame to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through. To bake the nuggets, preheat an oven at 200 C and place the nuggets on a baking tray. Coat them will oil or roasting spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy!

To freeze, keep the crumb coated nuggets back on a tray and keep in the freezer for half an hour. Once the crumb coated nuggets solidify, then you can transfer them into a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 – 7 months.

Alternates, Fixes and Remixes

Substitutes and Healthier alternatives

• You can use Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt. You can also use Mayo instead of yogurt if you are on a Keto-diet
• The Kashmiri lal mirch or red chili powder has a strong color but is not very spicy. If you plan to use regular red chili powder, then reduce the quantity to 1 tsp.

Fixes

• If you feel like your mix has become very spicy or extra salty, add an extra tablespoon of cream to balance out the heat.
• If your mixture feels very dry, add an extra tablespoon of yogurt.
• You can also add extra bread crumbs if your mixture feels very wet.

Remixes

• Go ahead and use the same method to create basic chicken nuggets seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and soy sauce.
• Use the same method and a totally different set of spices to create a different fusion of Chicken nuggets.
• You can add cheese to the mix as well to create cheesy chicken nuggets.
• You can also add sesame seeds to the bread crumbs mix to give a crispier shell and a whole new flavor profile.

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Tandoori chicken nuggets

A Pakistani fusion to the traditional Chicken nuggets

Course Appetizer, Snacks, Sides and Starters

Cuisine Fusion Food, Indian, pakistani

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 30 nuggets

Calories 74kcal

Author Wajiha

Ingredients

• 500 gm boneless chicken ground in a food processor
• 1 tsp Salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Roasted and grounded cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Black pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
• 2 tsp garlic ginger paste
• 3 slices of bread
• a pinch of red food color
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For coating

• 1 large egg
• Panko bread crumbs
• All purpose flour
• oil for frying

Instructions

• In a food processor add bread and pulse to form crumbs.
• If you are using boneless chicken, add the chicken and spices and yogurt directly in the food processor and grind until you get a smooth mix.
• If you are using chicken mince, add bread crumbs and mince in a bowl, along with spices and yogurt and mix well by hand.
• Grease a butter paper with oil and place on a tray.
• Dump the chicken mince on the tray.
• Grease your hand with oil and spread out the chicken mix around the tray to form an even layer. Keep the layer as thick as you want.
• Pop the tray in the freezer for an hour or 2 or until the mixture becomes rock solid
• Take the tray out and cut the mix into square pieces.
• Coat all the nuggets in all purpose flour.
• Make a mixture of egg, salt and 1/2 cup of water. Dip the nuggets in this egg wash and then coat with bread crumbs evenly
• Deep fry in hot oil at medium flame and serve with lemon and a dip of your choice.
• You can also bake them at 200 °C for 20 mins in a greased tray.
• Put the remaining nuggets back on a tray and pop it back in the freezer.
• When they harden up, transfer into a zip-lock bag and freeze for future use.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 74mg

The post Tikka flavored Chicken Nuggets appeared first on Butter Over Bae.

This recipe has a layer of crispy pita chips, loaded with a layer of spicy beef and vegetable mix, topped with a tahini sauce, garnished with fried almond slivers and parsley. It is somewhat similar to A beef and aubergine Fatteh, but as my friend from Iraq pointed out, Fatteh means “submerged” where the pita chips are almost submerged in sauce. So this, most definitely, are nachos!

I love Middle Eastern Cuisine. These Fateh-style nachos for snacking and an Egg Shakshuka for my breakfast are my favorite Arabian finds! If you are a pita chips fan, you HAVE to try the famous fattoush salad!

Why I love these Nachos:

• Super filling and light at the same time
• Most definitely a crowd pleaser!
• Absolutely packed with nutrition so definitely no guilt later.
• Alternative to regular dinners
• One of my budget friendly meals!

Steps & Tips to make these Beef Nachos perfectly

If you are someone who is new to Middle Eastern or Mediterranean style of cooking, some of the ingredients might not be a staple in your pantry. So I’m gonna quickly introduce you to the special Spices / Condiments needed to make this recipe. You will need:

• Sumac powder which is a slightly sour tasting reddish pink colored powder
• Bokharat or The 7 Spice powder which is a Lebanese spice blend
• Pomegranate molasses which is a tangy thick sauce.
• Tahini sauce, which is a mix of oil and sesame seeds.

I’d highly recommend to use the spices as is, to create the authentic Lebanese/Arabian flavors. But if you don’t want to purchase extra spices, you can always find substitutes for these ingredients at the end of the post.

Preparing the Pita chips

I personally find Pita chips to be the best for this recipe. Made from “Khubs” or pita bread. Since pita breads are like pockets, when you cut them up in triangles, open it up to get 2 pieces of chips.

You can use pre-made pita chips as well, if your local stores hold it. Or you can make some at home in 10 mins!

Simply drizzle some olive oil on a baking tray and sprinkle some salt. Lay down all your chips and bake them for 10 mins or so at 200C. When they turn a nice crispy golden color, take them out and set aside to cool down.

Preparing the Eggplant and Beef topping

So, to cook the meat topping, I use olive oil. It just intensifies the flavors so much more. Add your mince meat in olive oil in a pan and saute at high heat till all the water from the meat evaporates.

Now most Arabian dishes may or may not use garlic in their beef and chicken. But I like to add a little garlic ginger paste to the meat to add acidity and also get rid of any residual smells.

Once all your water evaporates, add all the spices to the meat and saute it for 2 mins. I’ve been a little heavy handed with the spices here, because eventually these spices are going to season the eggplant, as well as some extra veggies. So if you taste your meat right now, don’t be alarmed if it tastes overpowering.

Add water and cover the mince and the eggplant. I let it cook for about 15 mins at medium flame which is enough time for the eggplant to soften up and the meat to cook. (Also, husband doesn’t eat eggplant, so this is a great way for me to mask the eggplant by overcooking it…yeah I have a manchild my friends!)

In 15 mins, you’ll see a beautiful mince and eggplant base. That’s when you add in all the veggies. I’ve used chopped onions, tomatoes and bell peppers. You can add or substract veggies if you like, but I’d definitely recommend to not skip tomatoes.

Let the tomatoes soften up a bit, it’ll take about 3 to 4 mins. You will get a nice topping which is just a little towards the saucy side. Add in the pomegranate molasses now. And viola! Your topping is ready! You can also add a generous amount of parsley to the meat topping as well if you are a parsley fanatic.

Preparing the Tahini Sauce

Making the sauce is just like putting together any sauce. Dump all ingredients in a bowl, whisk it and you are done.

Garnish

I’ve garnished my nachos with chopped parsley and fried almond slivers.

To prepare the almond slivers, all you have to do is soak them in boiling water for 10 mins. Remove the skin and cut them in thin slices. Fry them in olive oil and thats it! They add this awesome crunchy element to the nachos. Also, for some reason, fried almonds taste like Peanuts. WHAT!! Temme if you feel it too!

Assembling this gorgeous Beef & Eggplant Nachos

This recipe easily serves 5 but tbh, me and my husband eat it for dinner so in which case, it only served 2 so!

IMPORTANT: Always assemble any type of nachos when you are read to eat so that your chips don’t get soggy.

Anywhoooo! For assembling, I put a little bit of the tahini sauce on top of the chips —–> Then its a layer of all the meat mix ——-> and then its alll the tahini sauce ——-> topped with almond slivers and parsley.

Substitutions

• 7 spice powder – You can use garam masala powder here, which has nutmeg in it.
• Sumac – Lemon zest used in half the quantity of sumac
• Pomegranate molasses – You can use lemon juice in twice the quantity here.
• Pita chips – Use regular nacho chips or baked spring roll sheets instead.

• Use twice the eggplant quantity mentioned to have a 1:1 meat to eggplant ratio.
• You can use the same recipe to make chicken or mutton nachos.
• For a vegetarian version of the recipe, use eggplant and potatoes instead of meat.

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Beef Middle Eastern Nachos

A fusion of Medditerranean spices, with beef, pita bread and a tahini dip served in nacho like style

Course Appetizer, Snacks, Sides and Starters

Cuisine Continental, Fusion Food

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 5 servings

Calories 459kcal

Author Wajiha

Ingredients

Meat topping

• 250 gm ground beef
• 1 cup eggplant chopped small
• 1 tsp garlic ginger paste
• 1 tbsp sumac powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp salt or to taste
• 2 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses or 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup chopped onion or 2 medium
• 1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes or 2 medium
• 1 cup bell pepper chopped 1 large
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Tahini sauce

• 1 1/2 cup yogurt
• 4 tbsp tahini
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

Pitachips

• 4 large pita bread
• Olive oil to drizzle
• salt to taste

Garnish

• Chopped parsley
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 10 to 12 almonds

Instructions

• 
  Almonds
• Soak almonds in boiling water for 10 mins.
• Slice them into thin slivers and fry until golden brown. Set aside
  
• Pita chips
• Preheat the oven at 200°C (400°F)
• Cut Pita bread into triangles, opening all the triangles to reveal two pieces each.
• Drizzle a baking pan with olive oil and sprinkle some salt.
• Place your pita chips on top of the baking pan and drizzle some more olive oil and salt on top.
• Bake for 10 mins or until the chips come out crispy. Keep a close eye on the chips after 10 mins have passed.
• Remove the chips and keep aside to cool down,
• Meat topping
• In a pan, add oil and meat on medium high flame. Saute till the meat changes color and water from meat dries up.
• Add garlic ginger paste and all the spices and saute the mince for 2 mins.
• Add in the chopped eggplant and sautee for another 2 mins.
• Add 1 cup of water and cover the pan. Reduce the flame to medium and let it cook for 15 mins or until eggplant is soft.
• Once the eggplant is cooked, add in chopped tomatoes, onions and capsicum. Saute at medium flame for another 3 to 4 mins.
• Add in your pomegranate molasses and chopped parsley and turn off the flame.
• Tahini Sauce
• Add all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and whisk till combined well.
• Assembling
• Layer the pita chips on a plate and drizzle 1/4th of the tahini sauce on it.
• Add the minced meat layer
• Add the remaining tahini sauce on top of the minced meat.
• Garnish with fried almonds and parsley.
• Serve immediately.
  

Notes

You can use spring rolls sheets instead of pita chips or regular nacho chips as well.

If you have to serve the nachos later, prepare the components and don’t assemble until needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 1350mg | Potassium: 621mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Beef & Eggplant Middle Eastern Nachos appeared first on Butter Over Bae.