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Harabhara Kabab

Ready in 40 mins

Recipe by Mamtha Sunil Kumar 

Harabhara Kabab (sometimes written Hara Bara) is an improvisation of the better known minced lamb Kebaba, suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans. The word Harabara in Hindi means greenery which is fitting since this dish has lots of green vegetables. Harabhara Kabab makes for a great starter or an evening snack.

In the Middle East 'kabab' (kebab) includes grilled, roasted, and stewed dishes of large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat. And while, in the West, we tend to think of kebabs as being food on skewers, in the East they can be served on plates or in bowls, or even in sandwiches. Though, traditionally, kebabs comprised of lamb, you will now often come across beef, pork, goat or poultry. Like many other ethnic foods, the kebab has become part of everyday cuisine in many parts of the world.

Preparation Time

10 Minutes

Cooking Time

30 Minutes

Ingredients for Harabhara Kabab

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.
If you want to know more about Indian ingredients, check our Indian Spices and our Indian Pulses, Rice and Seeds pages.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 6:

4 medium-sized potatoes
4 oz spinach
3 oz frozen peas
1 tablespoon chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1 inch fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chaat masala
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
  vegetable oil (for deep frying)

How to Cook Harabhara Kabab

  1. Wash the potatoes and boil them in salted water for 20 minutes. Allow them to cool a little then peel and grate them. Make sure the peas are defrosted, then mash them. Meanwhile, blanch the spinach leaves in plenty of salted boiling water for about 4-5 minutes, refresh in cold water and squeeze out excess water. Finely chop the spinach.
  2. Mix the grated potatoes, peas and spinach together in a large bowl. Add the chopped green chilies and chopped green coriander leaves. Peel and finely chop the ginger and add it, along with the chaat masala and salt, to the bowl. Stir well and mix in the cornflour to bind it all together.
  3. Divide the mixture into twenty four equal portions and shape each portion into a ball, then press it flat in the palms of your hands. Heat the oil over a medium-high heat in a deep pan and deep-fry the kebabs for 4-5 minutes until they become finely bronzed on the outside. Drain on kitchen paper and serve Harabhara Kabab hot either as part of a main meal, as a starter or as a snack.
MAMTHA SUNIL KUMAR'S HOT TIP:
You can also shallow fry Harabhara Kabab but you'll need to turn them frequently to make sure they are evenly cooked and hot right through.