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🌍 North Indian

Dahi ke Kebab

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Golden dahi ke kebab on a serving platter, one cut open to show a soft creamy hung curd centre, with green chutney alongside

Dahi ke Kebab is a delicate Awadhi-style party starter with a crisp golden crust and a soft, almost creamy centre made from hung curd and paneer, gently spiced with ginger, green chilli, and garam masala. The contrast is the whole point — crunchy outside, melt-in-the-mouth inside — and it is best eaten hot, straight off the tawa, with green chutney. The one thing this recipe needs is planning: the curd must drain for several hours to become thick enough to shape, and rushing that step is the most common reason the kebabs fall apart. Chilling the shaped kebabs for 20 minutes before frying also helps them hold together neatly.

Prep Time
4 hours 40 minutes (includes 4-hour curd draining and chilling)
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
4 hours 55 minutes
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

12 items
Yields: 4 (Tap items to check them off as you cook)

Step-by-Step Instructions

9 steps
  1. 1

    Step 1

    Line a strainer with a clean muslin cloth and set it over a deep bowl. Pour in the curd, gather the cloth, tie it, and leave it to drain in the refrigerator for 4 hours. You should get about 300 g of thick hung curd with no whey dripping from it.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Transfer the hung curd to a mixing bowl. Add the grated paneer and mix gently until combined. Do not overmix or knead hard, or the mixture will loosen.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Add the roasted besan, finely chopped onion, green chillies, grated ginger, chopped coriander leaves, garam masala powder, black pepper powder, and salt. Fold everything together into a soft mixture.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. With lightly greased palms, shape each portion into a flat, round kebab about 6 cm across.

  5. 5

    Step 5

    Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate and coat each kebab lightly on both sides.

  6. 6

    Step 6

    Place the coated kebabs on a plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.

  7. 7

    Step 7

    Heat the oil in a non-stick or heavy tawa on medium heat. Place the kebabs in the pan without crowding, using the oil across one or two batches as needed.

  8. 8

    Step 8

    Shallow fry for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side until deep golden, then flip carefully with a flat spatula and fry for 2 minutes on the other side.

  9. 9

    Step 9

    Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve immediately while the crust is crisp and the centre is soft.

Chef's Pro Tip

For optimal flavor, ensure all fresh spices are freshly roasted or ground before adding. Adjust seasoning gradually according to taste and let the dish rest for 3–5 minutes before serving.

Tags & Keywords

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