These spiced patties are ideal candidates for cooking on the barbecue. My family loves them piled into warm Indian bread and topped with hot mango and coconut chutney

1. Place the beans in a bowl with the garam masala, coriander and cumin.
2. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and chilli for 3 minutes until the onion is softened. Add to the beans with plenty of seasoning and mash the ingredients together thoroughly. Shape the mixture into 16 small balls and thread them on to small wooden skewers, 2 per skewer. Chill until needed.
3. To cook the koftas, place the skewers on the hot barbecue and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning regularly, until browned. Serve straight away.

Busy mum’s lifesaver: Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before use to prevent them burning. Be warned, if you use metal skewers the koftas will fall off as they cook – I’m talking from experience here.