Shami kabab are a popular street food appetizer from the Indian Sub-continent. These are made with mutton/chicken, bengal gram, spices and herbs. Serve them with mint chutney or roll them in naan/tandoori roti or serve them as patties in burgers.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.
450 grams (1 lb.)chickenor mutton (boneless, or use more bone-in)
⅓ cup (75 grams)chana dal(Bengal gram lentils)
1teaspoonred chili powderor chili flakes
¼teaspoonturmeric
1½inchcinnamon stick / dalchini
2 to 3green cardamoms/ elaichi
2dried red chilies(use more if you want)
1inchgingerpeeled and sliced
3largegarlic clovessliced
1teaspoonroasted cuminor roasted ground cumin
1teaspoongaram masalaor biryani masala (more if you want)
Water as needed (½ cup if using chicken, 2½ cups for mutton )
Salt as needed
1smallonionfinely chopped
2eggs(divided)
2 to 3tablespoonscoriander leavesfine chopped
2tablespoonsmint leaves/ pudina fine chopped - optional
1green chilichopped - optional
Oil as needed to fry
How to make the recipe
Preparation
Wash and soak chana dal for about 2 to 3 hours. Drain the water and add them to a large pot/ Dutch oven along water.
Add ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric, red chili powder, whole red chilies, garam masala, cumin, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms and meat.
Bring this to a gentle boil, Cover the pot partially and cook until lentils and the meat is completely tender. Add more hot water, only as required as you cook.
Once the meat and lentils are tender, evaporate the excess water completely.
Cool this completely and discard the whole spices and bones (if any).
How to Make Shami Kabab
Add this to a food processor or an onion chopper and grind to a slightly coarse mixture.
Add green chilies, onions, mint and coriander leaves. Taste this and adjust salt and heat levels to your preference.
Break an egg to a bowl and whisk with a fork to a uniform mixture. Add it to the mixture in batches and mix well to form a non-sticky dough.
Divide to 10 equal parts and shape them to balls. Flatten them on your palm, to shape like kebab/patty. Transfer to a tray. You can also freeze these at this stage.
Fry Shami Kebab
Stovetop: Heat oil for shallow frying or pan frying in a wide skillet. Dip one kebab each time in the egg and lift it with a fork.
Gently shake off the excess egg and gently place these in the hot oil. Fry on a medium heat until golden, turn them to the other side & fry until crisp. Transfer to a wired rack or to absorbent tissues.
Air Fryer: Grease your air fryer basket and preheat it. Air fry the kebabs for 8 to 10 mins at 370 F/ 185 C, until crisp.
Bake in Oven: Place the egg washed shami kabab on a prepared tray (with parchment) and bake at 400 F - 200 C for 14 to 16 mins, turning them halfway.