Hara kebab

Serves 4

This delicious kebab from Uttar Pradesh is named after the vibrant green colour of its spinach. It's got a great combination of flavours and the preparation and cooking is dead simple.

1kg spinach, thick stalks removed and washed
300-350g potatoes, boiled in their skins
75g gram lentils
1tsp turmeric
A piece of root ginger (about 20g), scraped and finely grated
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1tsp ground fenugreek
1/2tsp red chili powder
1/2tsp garam masala
A good pinch of salt
1tsp cornflour
20g fresh white bread crumbs
2-3tbsp vegetable oil for frying

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the spinach for 1 minute. Squeeze all the water out of the spinach using a cloth or using your hands. Chop the spinach roughly and put it into a bowl.

Peel and grate the boiled potatoes and mix with the spinach.

Boil the gram lentils in lightly salted water with a little salt and turmeric until just cooked, keeping them slightly under-done.

Mix in all the ingredients, except the oil for frying.

Shape the mixture into balls about 40g each, flatten them a little, then place on a tray lined with greaseproof paper and refrigerate for 40-50 minutes.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the pieces for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and crisp, then drain on some kitchen paper.

You can serve these kebabs with any favourite Indian chutney or relish and just a simple salad of herb leaves such as coriander, mint and parsley dressed with a little oil and lime juice.