Cauliflower Kababs

Ingredients

• 1 cup Chana dal
• 1 Cauliflower
• 6 slices Bread
• 1/4 cup Finely chopped onion
• 1 Tablespoon Finely chopped coriander leaves
• 2 Tablespoons Gram flour (besan)
• as needed Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Bread crumbs
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds
• 2 Cardamom
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 Cloves
• 7 Dried red chili
• Oil (for frying)
• White onion (for the vinegar onion accompaniment)
• a little Salt, white pepper powder, sugar, ajinomoto, malt vinegar (for the vinegar onion accompaniment)

Instructions

1. Wash the cauliflower well and break into large florets. Steam in a perforated bowl on the top rack of a pressure cooker for 3 minutes (no weight on).
2. Wash the chana dal, add water, and pressure-cook with the weight on for one whistle (don't overcook). Drain the cooked dal thoroughly.
3. Dry-roast the poppy seeds and cumin separately in a pan. Grind them with the dried red chili, garlic, cardamom, and cloves in a mixer (add a little water if it doesn't grind smoothly).
4. Finally add the steamed cauliflower and cooked dal and grind coarsely. Heat oil in a pan, saute the onion until reddish, add the ground paste, and stir for a few minutes until the moisture dries up well.
5. Dip each bread slice in water, squeeze out well, and add to the mixture. Mix in salt, coriander leaves, and a little gram flour, and knead thoroughly (it should be as firm as chapati dough).
6. Shape into oblong logs as described in the earlier kabab recipes and deep-fry in oil, or bake on skewers in the oven. Before serving, cut into two or three pieces and serve with vinegar onion.
7. Vinegar onion: thinly slice white onion into rings or long strips, and toss with salt, white pepper powder, a little sugar, ajinomoto, and malt vinegar. Let it sit for 1/2 hour before serving.