Succulent, melt-in-your-mouth meat that is a rich mix of flavours and a popular starter – Kebabs – I love sheekh kebabs the most, and close on their heels are Chapali Kebabs. I decided to do a taste experiment and used 500gm of lamb mince or kheema to make Chapali Kebabs using a packet shop bought ready to cook masala mixture and used the remaining 500gm of lamb mince to make the very same kebabs using a mixture of my own spices and homemade garam masala – oh yes I finally got around to making my own Garam Masala (recipe coming up this week with a huge surprise!)
But before I let you in on my easy peasy recipe, let us familiarise ourselves with a slice of history behind the dish (oh yes – every great recipe has a story!)
The word Chapli derives from the Pashto word Chaprikh which means flat. It is prepared as a flat and round mini pancake but fried like a fritter and is served with Naan.
Kebab (also kebap or kabab) is a Middle Eastern dish of pieces of meat, fish, or vegetables roasted or grilled on a skewer or spit originating in the Eastern Mediterranean and later adopted in Central Asia and by the regions of the former Mongol Empire and later Ottoman Empire, before spreading worldwide. Indian cuisine is widely influenced by the various rulers and dynasties that ruled and colonised India at various periods including the British Raj. The Mughal Empire has left a heavy influence on the food, culture, and tradition and is deeply woven into the fabric of society to create a new, beautiful, and modern-day cuisine that has been adapted, modified to the local taste, and is now our own.
In American English, kebab refers to shish kebab (Turkish: kebap) cooked on a skewer, whereas in Europe it refers to doner kebab, sliced meat served in a slice of pita bread. In the Middle East, however, kebab refers to meat that is cooked over or next to flames; large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat; it may be served on plates, in sandwiches, or in bowls. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb, but depending on local tastes and religious prohibitions, other meats may include beef, goat, chicken, pork, or fish. Like other ethnic foods brought by travellers, the kebab has remained a part of everyday cuisine in most of the Eastern Mediterranean and South Asia.
Though traditionally these kebabs are large and very flat – almost as large as the palm of your hand, I wanted to make a smaller patty, easy to fry and serve as a starter and easy to pop in the mouth while wielding a chilled glass of wine don’t you think?
Chapali Kebab Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Knife
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 500 gms Lamb mince or ground lamb or kheema/Keema
- 1 tsp Dried Pomeogranate seeds
- 2 tsp Freshly Ginger – crushed
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed Lemon juice
- 1.5 tsp Red Chilli powder
- 1.5 tsp Coriander Seed Powder
- 1.5 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tbsp freshcoriander leaves – finely chopped
- 1 small-size redonion finely chopped
- 1 medium-sized juicy red tomato finely chopped
- 2 greenchillies – finely chopped
- 3 small Eggs
- Salt to taste
- 3.5 tbsp Riceflour or Cornmeal
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs and beat lightly, add all the spices and mix with a fork
- Then work in the corn followed by the meat
- Ensureany excess water is drained out and then add the finely chopped tomatoes andred onions
- Spread a large sheet of kitchen plastic foil or beeswax paper n a flat table or the kitchen platform and place the flatted patties on it, cover it with another sheet, and refrigerate
- In a kadhai or wok take enough oil for frying and fry them, and serve hot with lots of chopped tomato and red onions on the side. Tastes great dipped into a freshly made mint coriander chutney or any dip of your choice
Recipe Notes:
- If like me you live in a tiny but expensive urban flat with an open plan kitchen – read tiny as a bird’s nest, then probably best to leave the entire mixture in the bowl, cover and refrigerate for about half an hour. Helps save on safe if you are using a smaller fridge.
- Delicious with a fresh green coriander mint chutney or the life-saving ketchup 🙂
References:Wikipedia
Am submitting this recipe to Made with Love Mondays hosted by Javelin Warrior on his blog Cookinwluv
I love chapli kebabs, my favourite foods. I did some on my blog too a while back. Do check it out when you get the chance.
Surely will Tina, after I stop salivating at that Pancake photo on your post!
Thinking how I can convert this to a veggie recipe???any ideas??
Yes, Nayna why not try the Quorn Meatless Meat Mince – I made ”meat” Kheema with them and they were bang on its taste and lower on calories too!
Looks DIVINE and I also LOVE your plate too! Karen xx
Thanks, Karen! Oh, that plate was begging to used in my food photos finally!
Manjiri, I love your plate..and kebab looks great …its a great treat for weekends, isn’t ?
Hi, Ananda thanks for stopping by! Yes, its a fab weekend treat! Thanks that plate is from a budget shop so its quite a steal 🙂
This would work really well with beans I reckon. Nice flavours although I have no idea where you can get dried pomegranate seeds. And Ananda is right, it’s a lovely plate.
Thanks, Choclette, that plate was begging to used in one of my posts, finally! Its also a budget buy and therefore more fun to possess! Yes, this recipe would work well with beans and with crisp veggie patties coated in mashed boiled potato and shallow fried Ummm! I purchase my dried pomegranate seeds from my fav Indian shop but I have seen them in the World Foods section of some of the supermarket chains too.
Those look lovely! I might even try sometime…I love this kind of spicy bite sized food
Me Too Fiona!you should try them sometime soon!
Looks and sounds wonderful, I love all the ingredients in here, a wonderful fusion of flavours
Thank you so much! and thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoy the posts that will follow too 🙂
A fascinating history on the different kinds of kebabs – and I love the use of lamb for these. Very tasty…
Thanks, Mark! It was very succulent and tasty indeed!
This looks lush Manjiri! I never tried chapali kebab before but would love to!
Come Over girl!
I had no idea that the American view of kebabs was so different from the rest of the world. I’ve always thought of kebabs as chunks of meat on a stick, corn dogs excepted.
The things we learn from Wikipedia is simply mind-boggling!I too was amazed by how differently a single dish is interpreted across the globe!
Oooh, now they look nice Manjiri. I’m not too keen on Doner Kebab (actually can’t bear the thought of them!) but these look scrummy 🙂
Janie x
Thanks, Janie, yes the Doner Kebab’s may not be up to everybody’s taste, it does have loads of other things other than meat.
This looks absolutely delicious! We are very lucky to have a good local kebab house where they have a charcoal grill, it is a semi regular night out.
Oh wow, Helen ur a major kebab fan I see! Me too. Thanks, I love making these for a drinks party!
Such a delicious recipe! I cannot wait to try it!
Thank you, do let me know when you do!