“Vegged Out” Kabobs on Cinnamon Sticks

Food on a stick is always fun! One of the popular Middle Eastern foods on a stick is kabob… As a kid, I especially loved the kabobs on cinnamon sticks. It is more than just a stick! After eating the kabob I loved keeping the cinnamon stick and sniffing its warm, sweet scent all day long… Cinnamon sticks are so pretty, aromatic and flavorful, so there is something totally genius about using them as food holders.

I Love cinnamon! Its effect as a spice on food is so unique. Even though cinnamon is familiar in our family’s sweet recipes, it is not common in Tunisian savory dishes. Moreover, the few savory dishes that include cinnamon involve a very small dosage. It is probably one of the noticeable differences between Tunisian cuisine and other neighboring cuisines such as Moroccan and Libyan and even other Middle Eastern dishes that have a wider usage of cinnamon in savory dishes.

Yes, for many, kabobs are usually all about the meat. If you know me by now, you know I love coming up with tasty vegetarian substitutes that keep true to classic, traditional flavors. These classic kabobs are usually made with ground meat (lamb or beef), but I am especially proud of this vegetarian version that deliciously represents all the goodness in Middle Eastern flavors.

You will need:

[Makes 12 large kabobs]

1 cup dry Green/mini brown Lentils

1 large Onion

2 large cloves Garlic

½ cup toasted Pine Nuts

¼ cup toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup Parsley

3 cups fresh Challah Crumbs

2 Eggs

2 tsp. Harissa

½ tsp. Cumin

¼ tsp. All Spice

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

⅛ tsp. Cinnamon

⅛ tsp. Cardamom

1 tsp. Salt

12 Cinnamon Sticks

3 tbsp. Olive Oil

For Tehina Tzatziki:

⅓ cup Raw Tehina Tahini

⅓ cup plain Yogurt

1½ tbsp. Lemon Juice (half a lemon)

½ cup Parsley

¼ tsp. Salt

Let’s get to work!

First, let’s cook the lentils. I love using lentils as a base substituting for ground meat. Beyond being an excellent protein of nutritious benefits, they have just the right texture and wonderful depth of flavor. Any lentils will do in this recipe, but today I combined two types of lentils, green and mini (dark) brown ones.

Wash the lentils well place in medium saucepan, filled with water generously (at least three time more than the lentils amount).

Bring to a boil and then cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes, until the lentils soften.

Drain the cooked lentils and set aside.

While the lentils are cooking, I finely chop the onion and sauté it in olive oil over medium to low heat.

After about 10 to 12 minutes the onions become soft and sweet.

Meanwhile, chop the parsley and mince the garlic.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked lentils, sautéed onions, minced garlic, chopped parsley, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. Use an immersion hand blender, mix and pulse a few times to help the mixture come together. Be careful not to blend too much – leaving some texture is key!

Add the breadcrumbs, Harissa and all spices including the salt.

Mix to a unified mixture.

Finely add in the eggs to bind it all together.

…And now the fun part 🙂 Get the cinnamon sticks and your hands ready… use the mixture to form a kabob shape over the top part of the cinnamon stick. These cinnamon sticks are pretty long… I ended up using about a 1/3 of the top part of the stick.

Make sure to make the kabobs unified in amount and shape – it will help them cook evenly. [Kabob Tip: If you find it challenging to form the kabob on the stick and it doesn’t come together nicely, try putting the mixture in the freezer for a just few minutes; working with cold mixture will make it a little easier.]

As you form the kabobs put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and a little olive oil spray. I made 12 big kabobs. Drizzle all the kabobs generously with olive oil.

Bake the kabobs in a 385°preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until they are golden and firm. Meanwhile let’s make Tehina Tzatziki!

This is all you need for this awesome smooth and tangy sauce.

Combine raw Tehina/Tahini sauce with yogurt and fresh lemon juice.

Mix until the Tehina is smooth and then add chopped parsley and salt. That’s it!

When the kabobs are ready serve them warm along with the Tehina Tzatziki.

You may generously drizzle the Tehina Tzaziki on top or have it on the bottom or a little bit of both… 🙂 Sprinkle with fresh finely chopped parsley and some lemon zest…

Look how beautiful! Time to enjoy your hard work!

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Quick Recipe:

Vegetarian Kabobs on Cinnamon Sticks-

Cook Lentil for 25-30 minutes until soft.

Finely chop Onion and cook in Olive Oil until clear and soft

Finely chop Parsley and Garlic.

In a large bowl, combine cooked Lentils, Parsley, Garlic, toasted Pine Nuts and Pumpkin Seeds.

Blend ingredients lightly into a chunky mixture using a hand blender.

Add Harissa, Challah Crumbs, Cumin, All Spice, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Black Pepper and Salt and mix well to combine.

Add two Eggs and mix into a unified mixture.

Use the mixture to create kabobs onto the Cinnamon Sticks (one kabob on each stick).

Place the kabobs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and Olive Oil spray.

Drizzle all kabobs evenly and generously with Olive Oil.

Bake in a 385°preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and firm.

To make Tehina-Yogurt Tzatziki:

Combine raw Tehina with Yogurt and fresh Lemon Juice.

Add water one tablespoon at a time and stir into smooth consistency.

Add chopped Parsley and Salt and mix well.

Serve Kabobs with Tehina-Yogurt Tzatziki, Chopped Parsley and Lemon Zest.