Smoked Plantain Kebab with Cream Cheese Stuffing…Awadh meets West

Hi All!

I am mighty surprised with myself, I had thought after I start working it would be very difficult to write a post, as a matter of fact even to cook regularly but as I said I surprised myself, though the days are extremely hectic and tiring I cook more regularly than before and I plan my dinner and morning breakfast in advance. Blog hopping has improved but definitely reduced as compared to earlier due to time constraint and at the end of the day I retire early and sleep like a log.

S had got some plantain and with the temperatures soaring day by day I was in a hurry to finish them. I had picked up some charcoal an year back and S had reminded me several times that I am yet to use them. The thought of using the charcoal made the plantain look very inviting and very vaguely I knew what and how I wanted to proceed with them.

The Awadhi cuisine is the highlight of Lucknow and is influence by the Mughal cooking. Kebabs are a speciality of Awadhi cuisine and I had been wanting to give a Awadhi touch to my kebabs.  The smoked flavour in kebabs is the speciality of Awadhi food and  it also makes use of roasted gram flour to provide binding.

I used the charcoal to give a smoked flavour to the plantain  and I must tell you the end result was just awesome, even my MIL who does not praise easily was all gaga about it. We felt that we had an exotic kebab in an expensive restaurant and I in my elated voice did mention to my family that since I served them a very expensive kebab they need to pay me for that.., LOL.

Sending this to my event ‘ONLY’- Fusion hosted by Priya at Now Serving.

Ingredients For

Outer Cover

7-8 raw plantains peeled and cubed

5-6 green chillies finely chopped

2 large spoons gram flour roasted

2tbsp fried onion

1tbsp roasted kasoori methi crushed

a large pinch clove pwd

a pinch of cardamom pwd

salt to taste

For the stuffing

2-3 green chillies finely chopped

3tbsp coriander chopped

1/4 cup cashewnuts chopped finely

1tsp grated ginger

2 cubes cream cheese

a pinch of salt

also

oil for frying

charcoal and

a spoon of ghee

Method

Cook the plantain with some salt in a vessel with sufficient water till almost done. Strain the water completely and cook the plantain and then mash it.

Add all the other ingredients mentioned under the heading outer cover to it and mix thoroughly. Make a well in the mix.

For the smoky flavour, heat the charcoal on fire and take them in small steel katori and keep it in the well made in the plantain mix and pour a spoon of ghee and immediately cover it with a lid. Leave it covered for about 15 minutes and then remove the charcoal and divide the mix into 12-14 equal parts.

Similarly mix all the ingredients under the heading stuffing and divide it into 12- 14 equal parts.

Flatten each part of plantain mix and keep one part of the stuffing on it, seal from all the sides, flatten it again and reshape.

Fry in oil or ghee on a medium flame till golden in colour.

Serve with onion rings and coriander- yogurt chutney.
For Coriander –Yogurt Chutney
Grind together 1 garlic pod, a small bunch of coriander, 1/2tsp rock salt, common salt to taste and 1/2 cup yogurt into a fine paste, add water if required.