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Chapli kabab is an authentic Peshawari ground beef patty infused with roasted whole spices, pomegranate seeds, and fresh herbs, delivering a juicy interior with crispy, caramelized edges. This recipe yields consistently flavorful kababs whether fried, air-fried, or baked.
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Prepare your garlic and ginger paste if you're using a homemade version. If you're opting for a storebought version, move to the next step. (see notes)
Peel and chop the onions, preferably in a food processor for quick and perfect results. Place the chopped onions in a fine mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth and set aside.
Slice the tomatoes in half, remove the tops and scoop out all the seeds before chopping them as fine as possible.
Finely dice he serrano chilies and cilantro and set aside.
Crack open the eggs and whisk them just enough to combine the yolk and white. Cook in 2 teaspoons of preheated oil in a wide shallow pan until you have a thin omelette. Roughly scranmble this and set it aside.
Dry roast all the whole spices; black and white cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and ajwain and crush them coarsely in a mortar and pestle. (see notes)
Place the ground beef in a wide and shallow pan, add all the spices and atta and start to mix. (see notes)
Next, wrap the chopped onions in the cheesecloth and squeeze to remove all the moisture from the onions. Add these along with the garlic and ginger paste, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, chilies and cilantro to the meat mixture.
Start to mix and knead the meat mixture until it becomes pasty in texture. (see notes)
I recommend shaping a small kabab at this point and cooking it in the microwave for 1 minute, to test the flavor. If you find it necessary, adjust the salt and chilies as needed and then cover and marinate the mixture in the fridge for 2 hours.
After marination, shape the ground beef mixture into 10 thin patties. (see notes)
Preheat the 2 cups of cooking oil to 350℉ and fry the kababs in batches until the edges are crispy. (see notes)
To air fry the kabab, spray both sides with nonstick spray and cook at 400℉ for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through to equally brown and crisp both sides.
Spray the kababs with nonstick cooking spray and bake in the oven at 400℉ for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through to brown both sides.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Refrigerate cooked chapli kababs for up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes until warmed through.
food processor (for chopping onions) · fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth (for draining onions) · mortar and pestle (for crushing roasted spices) · wide shallow pan (for cooking omelette and frying) · deep frying thermometer or oil thermometer (optional, for monitoring 350°F oil temperature) · air fryer (optional alternative to deep frying)
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Removing excess moisture prevents the meat mixture from becoming soggy and ensures the kababs hold together and crisp properly during cooking.
The 2-hour fridge marination allows flavors to meld and helps the mixture bind better, but you can proceed immediately if time is limited; however, marination is recommended for best results.
The creator recommends testing a small kabab in the microwave for 1 minute before full marination; when frying, cook until edges are crispy; for air-frying or baking, the kababs are done at 15–20 minutes respectively with a golden-brown exterior.
All-purpose flour works as a 1:1 substitute; atta (whole wheat flour) is traditional but all-purpose will bind the mixture similarly.
Yes, shape and refrigerate the mixture for up to 2 days before cooking, or freeze cooked kababs for up to 3 months; reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
