Chapli Kebab (Authentic Peshawari Recipe)

Chapli Kebab (Authentic Peshawari Recipe)

Chapli kebab is the famous street kebab of Peshawar: a large, flat beef patty, crispy and lacy at the edges and juicy inside, packed with crushed coriander seeds, dried pomegranate seeds (anardana), green chillies, onion and tomato. The name comes from the Pashto word "chaprikh", meaning flat, and in Peshawar's Namak Mandi and Qissa Khwani Bazaar they are fried in huge flat pans of beef fat and served on naan.

What makes a chapli kebab different from other kebabs is the texture. The mince is not blended into a paste; it stays coarse, with pieces of onion, tomato and spices you can see and bite into. A spoonful of cornmeal (maize flour) and an egg hold it together, and a slice of tomato pressed on top gives the classic look.

This recipe is written for home cooks in the UK, US, Europe and the Gulf. Use beef mince with 15 to 20 percent fat (the fattier the better), and fry in a heavy frying pan with plenty of oil or ghee. Chapli kebabs freeze beautifully raw, so make a big batch for Ramadan, Eid or a weekend barbecue.

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) beef mince, 15 to 20 percent fat (or lamb mince)
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped and squeezed dry
• 2 medium tomatoes: 1 finely chopped and drained, 1 thinly sliced for the tops
• 4 to 5 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• A large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely crushed
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely crushed
• 1½ tablespoons dried pomegranate seeds (anardana), coarsely crushed
• 1 tablespoon red chilli flakes (crushed red pepper)
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coarsely crushed black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal / maize flour (makai ka atta) or gram flour (besan)
• 1 large egg
• Vegetable oil, ghee or beef fat, for shallow frying
• Naan, sliced onions, lemon wedges and mint yogurt chutney, to serve

Directions

1. Squeeze the chopped onion and the chopped tomato in a clean cloth or sieve to remove as much liquid as possible. Wet mince falls apart in the pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the mince with the onion, chopped tomato, green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and fresh coriander.
3. Add the crushed coriander seeds, cumin, pomegranate seeds, chilli flakes, chilli powder, black pepper, garam masala, salt and cornmeal. Mix with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the egg and mix again until everything binds. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes (or overnight); cold mince is much easier to shape.
5. Wet your hands and divide the mixture into 12 balls. Flatten each one on a piece of baking paper into a thin round about 12 cm (5 inches) wide, thinner at the edges than the middle.
6. Press a thin slice of tomato into the centre of each kebab.
7. Heat about 1 cm (½ inch) of oil or ghee in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Slide in 2 or 3 kebabs, tomato side down first, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until deep brown and crisp at the edges.
8. Flip carefully with a wide spatula and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the rest.
9. Serve hot on naan with sliced onions, lemon wedges and mint chutney.