American English - Travels for Taste

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

Easy recipe for succulent, melt-in-your-mouth kebabes

Print Recipe

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Pakistani

Servings 2

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 🙂