Tuna Kababs with Guacamole

Crispy and caramelized top, soft and flavorful center: these kababs have it all. Slathered with a creamy guacamole, you won’t be able to resist them straight out of the pan. They also freeze perfectly, so make a big batch and enjoy for days.

You need no special preps nor you need to follow elaborate procedures to make these kababs. These kababs are so easy to make that the most difficult part of the recipe is opening the tuna tin cans and discarding the extra water out of it (which my husband is happy to undertake most of the time). I add sweet potato in my kababs which not only gives them a crispy and caramelized crust, but also takes the flavor to the next level. You can either boil the sweet potato (15 minutes), or you can microwave it (8-10 minutes), detailed instructions below.

While the kababs fry, I make a chunky guacamole dip which goes perfectly with them. I crush my avocado using a fork and add some chopped onion, tomatoes, some ground cumin, lime juice and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer your guacamole creamy, you can use a stab mixer to make it smooth.

How to Freeze the Tuna Kabab?

You can freeze the tuna kababs in 2 ways.

After shaping, before frying: You can transfer the kababs in an airtight container after shaping them and then freeze them. Put a sheet of aluminium foil between every layer to avoid them sticking to each other. When needed, you can take out as many as required. Put them directly into a pan with some oil for frying. Fry the kababs on medium low heat so they get defrosted from inside as well.

You can also defrost the kababs in advance by transferring them from the freezer to the fridge a few hours before consumption. Fry in a pan on medium heat with some oil.

After frying: You can also freeze the tuna kababs after frying. Bring them to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container, before putting them into the freezer. When needed, either microwave the kababs or heat them in a pan (no oil needed), directly after taking them out of the freezer. In this case, you won’t have a crunchy crust though.

Tuna Kababs with Guacamole

Perfect as healthy snacks or for breakfast. Ready in minutes. These kababs will please you on so many levels.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 25 kababs
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large sweet potato (approx 500gm)
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander (20 gm)
  • 2-4 green chilies (adjust to preferred spice level)
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 tins (150 gm each) tuna in salt water
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil (for frying)
Guacamole
  • 2 medium ripe avocados
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 small tomato
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp freshly crushed pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Method
 

  1. You can either microwave or boil your sweet potato:
    If microwaving- Prick the sweet potato with a knife or fork from all around. Microwave on high for 6-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of your sweet potato. Rest a few minutes after taking out from the microwave. Peel and slice in chunks. Set aside.
    If boiling- Put the sweet potato into a pot with 1 cup water. Bring to boil. Then cover and cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato is fork tender. Peel the skin and slice in big chunks. Set aside.
  2. Drain the water from the tuna by transferring it into a colander and pressing it down it a spoon. Try to get out as much liquid as possible to ensure that the kababs won’t break while frying. Set aside until needed.
  3. Cut onion in ¼. Add it to your chopper/food processor along with coriander and green chili. Blitz until finely chopped. (If you don't have a food processor or chopper, chop the vegetables very finely using a knife.)
  4. Add the drained tuna, sweet potato, egg, garam masala, chili flakes and salt to the chopper/food processor. Process until everything is well combined. (If mixing with hand, mash sweet potato first with a fork. Add the spices and mix into the vegetables until well combined.) Set aside.
  5. Shape into kababs (patties) of desired size. You can freeze them at this point if you want to store for later. Freezing instructions are written above.
  6. Heat some oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the kababs. Do not move them after placing. Flip after 3-4 minutes and fry on the other side for 3-4 minutes (or until golden brown). Enjoy with fresh guacamole.
For Guacamole
  1. Finely chop the onion and tomato.
  2. Cut the avocado in half. Twist it to take both parts apart and carefully take the seed out. Scoop out the flesh and mash using a fork.
  3. Add all the ingredients together and mix until well combined. Consume within a few hours.

Notes

  • If your kabab mixture is too runny, add some dry flour to bind it together. It also helps to keep the kababs from breaking.
  • Do not use tuna preserved in olive oil, but the one preserved in salt water for this recipe. 

One Comment Add yours

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating