CHAPLI-KABAB-RECIPE-PAKISTANI | EASY AND TASTY

 Chapli kabab is the king of all kababs. It has a crunchy texture, tangy and nutty taste. It is full of aromas and bursting with flavors.

ORIGIN

Chapli kabab is a specialty of Pukhtun Cuisine, the food of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province of Pakistan. These chapli kebabs are also called Peshawari kabab named after Peshawar, the capital city in the same province. 

The word chapli is derived from chaprikh which means 'to flatten' in the Pashto language. The kebabs are round and flattened minced meat cutlets with coarsely grounded spices and chopped tomatoes. They have also spelled chapli kabab or Chapli kebab. These kababs are widely sold in neighboring Afghanistan and are hence also called Afghan chapli kabab.

Two Chapli kabab served on a plate with fresh salad.

Honestly, I'm a big fan of chapli kabab and I can eat all of it alone. Spicy mint coriander chutney or tamarind chutney or raita pair well with these kababs. Traditionally, these are served with tandoori naan. But they taste great with rice too like afghani Pulao. They pair as great protein side with daal chawal too.

INGREDIENT

Below is an image of spices and veggies that go in the kabab marination. Apart from it tomato, cornmeal, and egg are also added that is visible in the steps image.

Ingredients of chapli kabab marinate.

• Mince: While mince of other kabab is processed twice for a fine texture. Chapli kabab's mince is processed just once and is like normal coarse mince (keema). It has 20%-30% fat. Additional fat in the mince keeps the kabab moist and soft.
• Spices: These kababs have a strong aroma of various spices. You need basic Indian spices to make chapli kabab. One less common spice is dried pomegranate arils. You can find it easily in Indian stores. If you can't find it, substitute it with mango powder ( AKA amchoor powder). 1 teaspoon of pomegranate molasses can also be a good substitute. The pomegranate arils add both tangy flavor and gritty texture to the kabab. Another common but non-staple spice is fennel seeds (AKA sauf), but it is optional.
• onion
• ginger
• garlic
• tomato
• butter: These are high-fat kabab, usually, animal fat is added to mince, I didn’t have animal fat in hand so I used, clarified butter which will keep the kabab moist.
• coriander
• green chilies



Chapli kabab shallow frying in a pan.

TIPS AND VARIATIONS

• Ground Meat: you can use ground beef, lamb, or chicken for this recipe. Remember the fattier the better.