If you are looking for a flavorful and unique snack to enjoy alongside your evening tea, mushroom kababs offer the ideal blend of taste and texture. Crisp on the outside and melt-in-the-mouth soft within, this starter appeals equally to kids and adults. Crafted using fresh mushrooms, cashews, roasted gram flour, and a rich combination of whole spices, these kababs deliver a restaurant-quality experience right from your home kitchen.
Required Ingredients and Spice Mix Checklist
To prepare these delicious kababs, the ingredients are divided into two primary components: the freshly ground kebab masala and the base ingredients.
- For the Special Kebab Masala: 2 black cardamoms, 6 green cardamoms, 5 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 mace strand, 1/4 piece nutmeg, 10 black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 piece star anise, and 1 tablespoon dried rose petals.
- Main Base Ingredients: 400 grams fresh mushrooms, 3 chopped onions, 30 grams cashews, 2 inches ginger (chopped), 3 to 4 garlic cloves, 2 to 4 tablespoons gram flour (besan), 1 teaspoon red chili powder, salt to taste, and desi ghee for shallow frying.
Preparing the Spice Blend and Sautéing Base Ingredients
Begin by making the signature kebab spice blend. Place all the whole dry spices into a pan and dry-roast them on low flame until they turn aromatic. Once roasted, remove them from heat and allow them to cool down completely. Transfer the roasted spices into a grinder and process them into a fine powder.
Next, heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium flame. Add the chopped ginger, garlic cloves, and cashews, sautéing them for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Toss in the chopped onions and cook continuously until they turn rich golden brown. Finally, add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and sauté until all moisture released by the mushrooms evaporates and they are thoroughly cooked.
Blending, Binding, and Griddle Frying
Allow the cooked mushroom and onion mixture to cool to room temperature. Transfer it into a blender and grind it into a smooth, thick paste without adding extra water.
Transfer the smooth paste to a bowl and mix in the gram flour, prepared kebab masala, red chili powder, and salt according to taste. Transfer this mixture back to a pan over medium heat and cook while stirring until the mixture thickens, starts binding together, and leaves the sides of the pan. Once cool enough to handle, grease your palms with a little ghee and shape the mixture into small round patties.
Heat a flat griddle or tawa and spread a spoonful of desi ghee over it. Place the prepared mushroom patties on the griddle and cook them on medium-low heat until both sides turn crisp and golden brown. Serve these hot mushroom kababs with fresh spicy green chutney and onion rings.
