Shahi Rose Kebabs
These Shahi Rose Kebabs are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, lightly floral with rose, and packed with plant protein — perfect for serving a crowd or prepping ahead for the week.
Ingredients
Kebabs:
- 2/3 cup soya nuggets
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) , canned or fresh
- 1 cup carrots , grated and squeezed
- 1/2 cup beetroot , grated and squeezed
- 1/2 cup onions , finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger green chili paste
- 3 tbsp cilantro , finely chopped
- 1 small sweet potatoes , boiled and mashed
- 1-2 tbsp sattu flour (roasted chickpea flour) , as needed for binding
- 1 tbsp dried rose petals , crushed
- 1 tsp rose water
- salt , to taste
- 1/2 tsp black salt
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2-3 tbsp white sesame seeds , for coating
- 1 tbsp ghee for sautéing + more for shallow frying
Lemon-Dill Yogurt:
- 1 1/2 cups thick yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3-4 tbsp fresh dill , finely chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil
- salt , to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic , grated (optional)
- 1 tsp sugar , as needed (optional)
Shirazi Salad:
- 2 cucumbers , finely chopped
- 1 medium tomatoes , finely chopped
- 1 medium red onions , finely chopped
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp olive oil
- salt , to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh mint , finely chopped, or parsley (optional)
For Serving:
- pita bread , store-bought and warmed or see my Homemade Pita Bread recipe
- hummus
- salad greens
- radish
- hot sauce , sriracha or truffle hot sauce works great
- feta cheese
- pomegranate seeds
Instructions
Kebabs:
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Boil the soya nuggets until soft. Squeeze out all the water completely and keep them aside.
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Add the squeezed soya nuggets and cooked chickpeas to a food processor and pulse to a coarse mixture. Do not make it into a paste.
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Heat 1 tbsp oil or ghee in a pan. Add the chopped onion and ginger–green chilli paste. Sauté for a minute, then add the grated carrot and beetroot. Cook on medium-high heat until all the moisture dries up and the mixture becomes fragrant.
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Switch off the gas and in the same pan add the pulsed soya–chickpea mixture, the mashed sweet potato, crushed rose petals, rose water, all the spices, salt, black salt, cilantro, and lemon juice. Mix everything well in the same pan, then transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool before shaping the kebabs.
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Once the mixture has cooled, add sattu flour little by little until it binds well and can be shaped easily.
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Shape into kebabs, gently press each one into sesame seeds, and shallow fry on a tawa with oil or ghee until golden and crisp on both sides.
Lemon Dill Yogurt:
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Whisk together all the ingredients and chill until serving.
Shirazi Salad:
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Combine all the ingredients just before serving to keep it fresh.
Assemble:
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Assemble by spreading hummus in warm pita, layering greens and chopped salad, placing warm kebabs, drizzling yogurt and hot sauce, and topping with feta & pomegranate.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Storage: Kebabs keep well in the fridge for 2–3 days. Reheat on tawa or air-fryer before serving.