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Chapli kababs are Pakistani spiced beef patties made with ground keema, pomegranate seeds, roasted gram flour and crushed whole spices, pan-fried until golden. The anar dana and roasted besan give them distinctive tanginess and a tender, cohesive texture.
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Place the coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a small spice grinder or coffee grinder. Grind until coarsley ground. You can also use a mortar and pestle to do this.
Mix with the rest of the spices: anar dana, garam masala powder, red chili flakes and salt. Set aside.
In a small frying pan, roast the besan on medium low heat (while stirring) for 3-4 minutes. When the besan is fragrant and slightly darkened, transfer to small bowl and set aside to cool.
Slice the tomato, remove the seeds and chop into cubes.
Peel the onion, chop into quarters, and then using a chopper or small blender, chop the onion very finely. Squeeze the excess moisture with your hand. Discard the excess liquid.
Finely chop the fresh coriander leaves and green chili.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the keema.
Add the egg, roasted besan (gram flour), spices, tomato, onion, green chili, coriander, and ginger garlic paste. Mix well until fully combined.
Using your fist, knead the meat for 1-2 minutes until it is mixed completely and holds together.
If the meat mixture is too soft, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of additional roasted gram flour.
Taking medium sized balls of meat, flatten them into a flat oval shaped disc. Flatten the kababs with your hands, to achieve the desired shape and size.
Pro tip: The kebabs will shrink in size as they cook and release moisture. So make them slightly bigger than you would like.
Place on parchment paper.
Optional: You can add sliced tomatoes on each kabab and press it in gently with your hands, for extra flavor and juiciness.
Heat about 1-inch oil in a frying pan to medium-high heat.
Gently place the patties, and fry on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Be careful not to over cook the kababs, as they will become dry.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Store cooked kababs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a pan over low-medium heat or microwave, 1–2 minutes until warm.
spice grinder or mortar and pestle · small frying pan (for roasting besan) · frying pan (at least 10 inches, for cooking kababs in 1 inch oil)
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Yes, shape the patties and refrigerate on parchment paper for up to 24 hours before frying. Do not freeze raw patties as they may become too soft.
Roasting the besan (gram flour) for 3–4 minutes on medium-low heat adds a nutty flavor, removes raw flour taste, and helps bind the meat mixture without making it dense.
Knead the meat mixture with your fist for 1–2 minutes to bind it fully. If still too soft, add 1–2 tablespoons more roasted gram flour. The egg and besan act as binders.
Anar dana (pomegranate seeds or powder) adds a subtle sweet-tart flavor and juiciness to the kababs. It is a signature ingredient in authentic chapli kababs.
Fry each side for 3–4 minutes on medium-high heat until golden brown and cooked through. Avoid overcooking as the kababs will become dry.
