Ever been to those cocktail parties where you are a vegetarian and all the snacks being served are non-vegetarian? Or, worse still, you are a vegan and the only vegetarian snack is paneer (cottage cheese)? I have! And left after registering my presence. Because I was so hungry that all I could think of was reaching home and having a fulfilling meal! To the organisers of all such cocktail parties, here is a recipe that you must include in your snacks. It is from Avadh.

Ingredients
1 cup dried black chickpeas (garbanzo beans, kala chana, mookku kadalai)
1 medium sized onion, chopped fine or minced
1 tbsp mint leaves (pudina), chopped
1 tbsp coriander (dhania, kothamalli)  leaves, chopped
1 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder, kothamalli podi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 green chilli, chopped fine
1/2 tbsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp Bengal gram powder (besan, kadalai mavu)
Salt to taste
Method
Soak black chickpeas overnight
Drain water
Pressure cook with just enough water to cook till done (about 6 whistles, 1 1/2 cups of water)
Let the steam release and open the lid
Mash the black chickpeas to a coarse mixture
Transfer to a bowl
Add all remaining ingredients and mix well
Make small, round kababs
Place in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes
Transfer to an air fryer and ‘fry’ on 200° C for 10 minutes, turning over once in-between so that both sides are browned
Garnish with mint leaves
Serve hot with onion-mint salad, slices of lime and mint chutney
Enjoy!
Adapted from the recipe of Mr. Amit Dassana