Chapli Kebab

Juicy and Tender Chapli kebab that are so easy to make. Perfectly spiced and packed with flavour, you will love this recipe ! These Pakistani Chapli Kebab are perfect for any occasion or barbeque.

WHAT IS CHAPLI KEBAB ?

Chapli kebab are mince meat patties marinated in spices and shallow fried. Chargrilled on outside but soft and juicy inside, its a must try recipe. These kebabs are traditionally made in Northern Province of Pakistan but are famous and enjoyed all throughout Pakistan and around the Subcontinent.

Ingredients for Chapli Kebab

Here are the ingredients you need to make chapli kebab

• Mince – traditionally they are made from beef or sometimes lamb mince. The mince shouldn’t be fat free, it should have at least 20% of fat content. The lean meat makes the kebabs dry and chewy.

• Spices – The spices used are Red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder, garam masala, crushed red chilli, coriander seeds and anar dana( dried pomegranate Seeds).The anar dana( dried pomegranate Seeds) is available from Indian/Pakistani grocery stores. I wont say its not essential but if you cant find it all, you can skip it. But anar dana( dried pomegranate Seeds) gives slightly tangy taste and adds nuttiness to the kebabs.

• Tomatoes, onions, chillies and corriander should be very finely chopped. You dont want chunks of these in your kebabs.

• Egg and Besan (Garam Flour) is used to bind the mince mixture together and prevents the kebabs from breaking. If Gram Flour is unavailable you can substitute it with cornflour. Although the flavours of garam flour and Corn flour are really different, but that’s in case you don’t have garam flour available at your hands at all.

• Butter also helps keep kebabs moist and soft.

HOW TO MAKE CHAAPLI KEBAB?

Simply combine all the ingredients in the mince. The key is to knead the mince for good 10 minutes. This helps all the spices get absorbed in the mince really well. Allow the mince to rest in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours. You can even do it for longer.

Make round patties and flatten them as much as you can. They might look big but they shrink during the cooking. Fry them in shallow oil.

CAN CHAPPLI KEBAB BE GRILLED?

Its not a complete No, but not a yes either. Chapli kebabs are meant to be fried, if you want kebabs for grill or BBQ try Seekh Kebabs. They are good for charcoal/electric BBQ or grill.

WHAT MAKES CHAPLI KEBAB HARD?

If the mince has excess water it will make the kebab shrink and they will get hard. So its very important to make sure that the meat doesn’t have water in it. If possible use fresh mince but if you are using frozen mince thaw it in colander and squeeze the excess water out.

WHY DO CHAPLI KEBAB BREAK?

Excess moisture in kebabs makes them fall apart and break. Egg and Garam flour helps to bind the mixture together. Also ensure you shape the patty really well with no cracks. If there are cracks the kebabs break in the hot oil.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE CHAPLI KEBAB

FREEZING AND STORING

These Chapli kebab are excellent to store in the freezer. You can either freeze them raw. Just shape up the patties and put them in tray. Put it in the freezer, once they are bit frozen and firm put them in a container or zip lock bag. Thaw them slightly and fry them.

To freeze cooked kebabs, simply wrap them tightly in a foil or cling wrap and put it in a container or zip lock bag. When ready to eat Microwave them or reheat them in a pan on a low heat with little oil.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHAPLI KEBAB?

You can just eat kebabs on their own with mint chutney or mint yoghurt. Make it a meal by adding some naan and salad on the side.

They can also be put together in burger buns or bread to make quick sandwich.

These kebabs also go really well with rice. Try them with Pea Pulao or Boneless Chicken Biryani.

OTHER KEBAB RECIPE TO TRY

Turkish Adana Kebabs

Gola Kebabs

Turkish Chicken Doner Kebab

Seekh Kebabs