Grilled chickpea seekh kebab wraps recipe

Normally seekh kebabs are made with lamb mince cooked on skewers and served as they are or wrapped in thin flatbreads with some crunchy bits, but this protein-packed grilled chickpea seekh kebab wraps recipe from Anjum Anand is equally delicious and satisfying enough to make a healthy, light meal. It might seem odd to see cheese in Indian food but it really helps to add some umami flavour here and helps bind the kebabs together. You can also lightly fry them in a non-stick frying pan (with or without skewers), in which case you don’t need to brush with butter. You can leave out the butter if you are being healthy and eating them with the yoghurt, if not you should add the fat as they will taste a bit dry. Makes 6.

Ingredients:

1½tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium red onion, half finely chopped and half finely sliced (for the wrap)

2tsp finely chopped ginger

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1-2tsp finely chopped green chillies to taste

3tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper

20g grated cheddar cheese

1tsp cumin powder

1tsp garam masala

1tsp dried mango powder (or serve with lemon wedges)

3tbsp breadcrumbs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 small handfuls of chopped fresh coriander

1 heaped tsp butter, soft or melted

Large skewers, soaking in water as you cook

To serve

6 tortillas or thin flatbreads

8-10 iceberg lettuce leaves

Handful each of chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves

½ lemon

250g thick Greek yoghurt

Method:

Mash or blend the chickpeas until they are a coarse puree.

Heat the vegetable oil in a small non-stick frying pan and add the chopped onion and some salt; cook until soft and golden. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and stir-fry over a gentle flame for 1 minute or until the garlic is just cooked. Add the cumin and garam masala with a splash of water and cook out until there is no moisture left in the pan and you can see the mixture frying in the oil.

Add this to the mashed chickpeas, along with the fresh coriander, dried mango powder, cheese, bell pepper and breadcrumbs. Mix well together, taste and adjust the seasoning to taste. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, stir the handful of chopped mint and coriander into the yoghurt along with salt and pepper to taste. Marinate the sliced onions in a good squeeze of the lemon juice.

Roughly portion the kebab mix into 6 and, with slightly oiled hands, form the seekh kebabs around the skewers – you can make these round or slightly flattened.

Preheat your grill setting in your oven, place the skewers on oiled foil and sit about 4 inches away from the hot grill. Cook for 10 minutes, carefully turning halfway, until browned on both sides.

Place the breads in foil in the oven to heat through for 3-4 minutes before the kebabs come out. Brush the cooked kebabs with the butter (they will be dry and quickly absorb the fat).

Quickly ease the kebabs off the sticks and place straight on the breads, top with the onions, lettuce and yoghurt, wrap and serve.