Veg Seekh Kebab Masala (Subzi)

About this recipe

Vegetable seekh kebab masala is the full restaurant treatment for a homemade vegetable kebab—grilled and firm, then simmered in a rich masala gravy so they soak it up like sponges. The grated vegetables—carrot, beans, cabbage, cauliflower—are squeezed bone-dry or the kebab falls apart on the grill. Boiled potato adds binding and a slight sweetness, paneer adds protein and texture, and besan adds the final bind. These are not light, diet-friendly kebabs; they're the kind you'd see at a wedding buffet, substantial and flavored. The critical step is squeezing the grated vegetables until no liquid comes out. Wrap them in a clean cloth and press them against a bowl for a minute. This dryness is the difference between a firm kebab that holds its shape and a sad mush that falls apart on the skewer. Once you've shaped them around oiled skewers, grill at fierce heat—230°C—for 14 minutes, turning once. The exterior should be deeply browned, almost blackened in spots. This crust seals in the juices and creates texture. The gravy is a separate mission: brown onions in oil and butter until they're golden and soft (this takes 8 minutes and is not optional), add ginger-garlic and tomato puree, build the spice with kebab masala and Kashmiri chilli, cook until the oil separates from the tomato, then add a cashew paste and water to create a rich, clinging sauce. Add the hot kebabs 5 minutes before serving so they drink some sauce without falling apart. The result feels fancy and special, the kind of dish that tastes like effort. Serve subzi seekh kebab masala with warm roti or rice to soak up the gravy. It makes wonderful leftovers—the kebabs taste better the next day after soaking overnight in the sauce. Keeps refrigerated for 3 days.