Chapli Kebab

Chapli Kebab

The great street kebab of Peshawar: minced beef studded with cracked coriander and pomegranate seeds, shaped into wide thin patties and shallow-fried until crisp and lacy at the edges.

Prep

25 min

Cook

15 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4 (makes 8 patties)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1.1 lb) beef mince, 20% fat for juicier kebabs; lean mince will be dry
• •1 medium onion, very finely chopped or grated, squeezed dry
• •1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped, seeds and excess juice removed
• •15 g (¼ cup) fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• •2 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds (anar dana), lightly crushed; plus extra to serve
• •1 tbsp whole coriander seeds, coarsely cracked in a mortar, not ground
• •1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
• •1 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
• •1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, for colour and mild heat; use paprika + a pinch of cayenne if unavailable
• •1 tsp salt
• •2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
• •1 inch fresh ginger, crushed to a paste
• •2 tbsp besan (chickpea flour), traditional binder; maida/plain flour works in a pinch
• •1 small green chilli, finely chopped, optional heat
• •1 tbsp lemon juice
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil, for shallow frying, plus more as needed

Steps

1. 1 Tip the mince into a large bowl and break it up with your hands. Add the grated onion, chopped tomato, coriander leaves, crushed pomegranate seeds, cracked coriander seeds, crushed cumin seeds, black pepper, Kashmiri chilli, salt, garlic-ginger paste, besan, green chilli and lemon juice.
2. 2 Mix with your hands for 3–4 minutes, squeezing and folding, until the mixture feels tacky and holds together when pressed. Do not overwork or the patties will be dense.
3. 3 Cover and rest the mixture in the fridge for 20–30 minutes so the besan hydrates and the spices bloom.
4. 4 Divide into 8 equal portions (about 80 g / 2¾ oz each). On a piece of greased parchment or a wet board, press each portion out into a wide, thin patty about 12–13 cm (4½–5 in) across and roughly 1 cm (⅜ in) thick. A crackled, rustic edge is the goal — do not smooth them perfectly flat.
5. 5 Heat a heavy cast-iron or tawa pan over medium heat until a drop of water skitters across the surface. Add the oil and let it shimmer.
6. 6 Lay 3–4 patties in the pan (do not crowd) and cook 3–4 minutes on the first side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the underside is deep brown and the edges look crisp and lacy.
7. 7 Flip carefully with a wide spatula, add a little more oil around the edges, and cook 2–3 minutes more for the second side.
8. 8 Doneness cue: the kebabs should be deeply browned, crisp at the edges, and register 71 °C / 160 °F internal on an instant-read thermometer, with no pink juices when a patty is broken open. The interior stays juicy, the exterior is crisp.
9. 9 Drain briefly on kitchen paper, then serve immediately with naan or rumali roti, mint chutney, sliced raw onion, lemon wedges and a scattering of fresh pomegranate seeds.