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Golden brown chapli kababs on a slate board with naan, onion rings, lemon wedges and green chutney
Pakistani · Main Course

Chapli Kabab (Peshawari-Style Spiced Beef Patties on the Griddle)

Wide, flat beef patties packed with crushed coriander seed, pomegranate seed, tomato and green chilli, then cooked on a hot griddle until crisp at the edges and juicy inside.

Published 29 Sep 2026

Prep45 min
Cook25 min
Total1 h 10 min
Serves6
DifficultyMedium
CuisinePakistani

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment: Large flat griddle (tawa) or wide heavy frying pan, mixing bowl, spatula, instant-read thermometer (optional)

Method

  1. Crush the coriander seeds, pomegranate seeds and cumin seeds in a mortar or with a rolling pin until coarse and cracked, not powdery.

  2. Put the mince in a large bowl. Add the onion, tomatoes, green chillies, fresh coriander, crushed seeds, ginger-garlic paste, chilli flakes, garam masala, pepper and salt.

  3. Add the gram flour, cornflour and egg. Knead with your hand for 3–4 minutes until the mixture feels sticky and holds together when squeezed.

  4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps the mixture firm up so the patties do not crack on the griddle.

  5. Wet your palms and divide the mixture into 12 equal balls, about 90 g each. Press each into a flat patty roughly 10 cm wide and 1 cm thick, with slightly uneven edges.

  6. Heat the griddle over medium-high heat and add about 2 tbsp oil. Lay 3–4 patties in the pan without crowding.

  7. Cook the first side for 4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden brown and the edges look crisp. Press lightly with the spatula only once.

  8. Flip carefully and cook the second side for 4 minutes on medium heat, until browned and the centre reaches 74°C or the juices run clear.

  9. Move the cooked patties to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Add a little more oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining batches.

  10. Serve hot with lemon wedges, sliced onion, chutney and naan.

Cooking tips

  • Use mince with some fat. Very lean beef gives dry, crumbly kababs.
  • Deseed the tomatoes and chop them finely so the mixture does not become watery.
  • Chill the mixture before shaping. If patties still crack, add another tablespoon of gram flour.
  • Cook one test patty first and taste it, then adjust salt and chilli for the rest.

Substitutions

  • Use lamb or mutton mince instead of beef for a stronger flavour.
  • Use chicken mince with an extra tablespoon of oil in the mixture; cook until 74°C inside.
  • If you cannot find anardana, add 1 tsp lemon juice and use a little less salt.
  • Swap gram flour for fine breadcrumbs, though the flavour will be milder.

Serve with

"Serve two patties per person in warm naan with sliced raw onion, tomato, cucumber, mint-coriander chutney and lemon wedges. A cup of green tea is the usual Peshawari finish."

Storage

Refrigerate cooked patties in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Uncooked shaped patties can be frozen between sheets of baking paper for up to 2 months.

Reheating

Warm in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until steaming hot in the centre. Cook frozen patties from thawed.

Nutrition per serving, estimated

Not shown for this recipe because it can’t be estimated reliably (for example, oil absorbed during deep frying varies a lot).

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