Shami Kebabs Made Easy

Shami Kebabs are a well-known dish in any Pakistani household. They are served in formal and informal settings as appetizers, sides, snack and even as the main course. People enjoy shami kebabs for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between meals. This savory fried goodness satisfies all taste buds. Shami kebabs are a mixture of meat, lentils, spices, and herbs that are shaped into a patty and then shallow fried to create a golden brown crust while the inside is warm, tender and full of flavor. Often times this mouth-watering kebabs are served with mint and yogurt chutney to enhance the flavor. Enough talking, lets get started with the ingredients.

Ingredients:

· 2lbs Meat of choice (I used boneless beef pieces)

· 1 cup Chana Daal (soaked)

· 1 large yellow onion (cut into pieces)

· 3 green chilies (roughly chopped)

· 1 cinnamon stick

· 6-7 black peppercorns

· 1-teaspoon cumin seeds

· 1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds

· 6 - 7 cloves

· 2 black cardamoms

· 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

· 1 - 2 inch pieces of ginger root

· 3 - 4 cloves of garlic

· Water as needed

· 2 medium red onions (chopped)

· 1 fresh coriander bundle (finely chopped)

· Handful of mint leaves (finely chopped)

· 3 - 4 eggs (optional)

· Egg wash for frying

Method

1. Soak chana daal for at least 2-3 hours

2. In a large pot (preferably stainless steal) add meat, daal, white onion, green chilies, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, black cardamom, salt, ginger, garlic, and ½ cup of water. Mix everything and let all the ingredients heat through on medium high heat. Once the pan is heated and the meat begins to cook (change colors) bring the heat down to a medium low, stirring occasionally. Let it cook until the meat is fork tender and most of the water has evaporated.

Tip: the onion and the meat will release water but if additional water is needed it you can add a

little bit at a time.

3. Once the mixture is cooked you will need to grind it into a smooth paste. You can remove cinnamon and black cardamom pods before grinding.

Two methods of grinding the mixture

1. Handheld emergent blender: As long as you are using a deep stainless steal pot, and there is a

little bit of moister in the pot, you can use an emergent blender. Be extra careful with this step

since the mixture will be extremely hot.

2. Food Processer: Bring the mixture to a room temperature before adding it to the food

processer to grind.

4. Once the mixture is turned into a paste, taste to check for salt and spice level. If you need to add more salt or chili pepper, do so at this point. You can add red chili power if you like. However, green chilies taste better.

5. Once the mixture is completely cooled, add chopped red onions, mint, fresh coriander leaves, and eggs. Mix well and shape them into patties.

Tip: do not taste the mixture after adding eggs. You must cook it before eating it due to the

inclusion of raw eggs.

6. Once the shape is formed you can freeze or place them in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes. Once they are slightly harden, beat an egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Dip the kebabs into the egg wash, and shallow fry them in warm oil until they are golden brown and completely heated through.

Tip: If the mixture is too dry add a tablespoon of so of yogurt. Yogurt goes a long way so start

with a little bit and add as needed. When forming patties avoid cracks. You can wet your palms

or fingertips with water to smooth the mixture, if needed.

Storage:

Line a baking tray or a container that is freezer safe and will fit in your freezer with parchment paper. Shape the mixture into kebabs (or any other shape you like) and place it on the parchment paper. Make sure to line with parchment paper in between each layer. Once frozen, move the kebabs into a Ziploc bag or an airtight container and keep them in the freezer until ready to use.

Enjoying Shami Kebabs

Bun Kebab/ Anday wala burger

Fry a kebab as mentioned above. In the leftover egg add salt and black pepper and cook. Heat a

bun. Mix mayo, ketchup, and hot sauce and add it to the bun. Place the kebab on the bottom bun

followed by an egg, lettuce, onions, and enjoy

Afternoon Chai

Fry some kebabs to enjoy with a hot cup of chai in the afternoon or evening.

Weekend Brunch

Enjoy a hearty breakfast with shami kebabs and fresh paratha along with mint chutney. You can

also make a paratha roll. Feel free to substitute paratha with naan. It will be equally delicious.

Let’s make it healthy

Microwave the shami kebab for a minute or until its warm and the raw eggs are cooked. Heat a

whole-wheat pita pocket, add the kebab to the pita pocket along with fresh raw salad and enjoy a

high protein, filling lunch.

Have it on the side

Shami kebabs go perfectly with rice especially with pulao as a side.

I hope you give this delicious recipe a try and share it with your loved ones. All the best!