Chatpata veggie skewers (kababs)

Well, the word kabab doesn’t really mean much to a Vegetarian. So the word skewer is probably more appropriate in this case. For the uninitiated, a skewer is just a bamboo stick into which one can thread meat/veggies to be roasted/grilled or barbecued. So this is just a simple appetizer for those unhurried days which doubles up as a viable option for those barbecue picnics when all we can do is watch the meat-eaters otherwise. Here’s a glimpse.

Intrigued? It’s really a very simple thing that the seasoned chefs wouldn’t even bother blogging but amateurs like me take pleasure in filling the gaps. So, if you’re interested…
What you need:
Veggies: Anything that you can find. I’ve used – cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, spring onions, capsicum and tofu blocks.
For the marinade:

Curd	1 cup
Water	1 cup
Turmeric, red chilli powder, dhaniya-jeera powder, asfoetida and salt	1 pinch each
Garlic	5-6 pods finely chopped/crushed
Ginger	1/4 inch piece chopped
Fresh coriander leaves	1/2 sprig finely chopped

Marinate: For the marinade, mix all the ingredients well. Soak the veggies in the marinade for at least a half hour before grilling them.
Tip: Use a skewer to bore holes into each of your veggies so that the marinade really gets deep into them.
Next, thread them on the skewers, alternating by color for prettier appearance :D

Here’s one more look..

Then, just grill 'em! At 350°F (166°C) for 20 minutes. Preferably, turn the veggies after half the time to grill them evenly on all sides. Serve piping hot with a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice (and some chaat masala if you're into it).


Don't let the sparkly fresh exterior fool you. After 20 minutes, they were well-done and had absorbed the marinade wonderfully. Yumm yumm. I served it as an appetizer to a predominantly Chinese pasta (if you want to know what that is, drop me a line). Dinner is served.

Bon Appétit!