Description
Beef Shami Kabab is a flavorful and juicy snack made with boneless beef, soaked chana dal, and an aromatic blend of whole spices, herbs, and chilies. Cooked in an Instant Pot to retain moisture and tenderness, these kababs have a crispy exterior and melt-in-the-mouth softness inside. Perfect as a starter or appetizer, they can be frozen and fried later for a quick treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Whole Spices
- 1 ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 ½ tsp coriander seeds
- 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 black cardamom
- 6 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 bay leaf
Main Ingredients
- 1 kg boneless beef chunks (stew cut)
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 250 grams chana dal (soaked overnight or at least 4-6 hours)
- 1 small red onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 tsp chilli flakes
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder (optional)
- ¾ cup water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- 8 to 10 green chillies
- 1 small red onion (optional, for serving or garnish)
- Cooking oil (for frying)
- 1 egg (optional, for binding)
Instructions
- Prepare the Whole Spices: Lightly toast the black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, and bay leaf in a dry pan over medium heat until aromatic. Let them cool and grind to a coarse powder.
- Cook Beef and Chana Dal: Add the boneless beef chunks, soaked chana dal, toasted ground spices, ginger garlic paste, roughly chopped onion, chilli flakes, turmeric powder (if using), salt, garam masala, and ¾ cup water to the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 25-30 minutes. Allow natural pressure release.
- Blend the Mixture: Once cooked and slightly cooled, drain any excess liquid if too watery. Transfer the cooked beef and dal mixture to a food processor and pulse to make a coarse yet cohesive paste. Add chopped coriander, mint leaves, and green chillies. Mix thoroughly. Add the optional egg to bind if the mixture seems loose.
- Shape the Kababs: Grease your hands with a little oil and form the mixture into flat, round patties of uniform size (about 35 kababs from the batch). Optionally, finely chop a small red onion and keep aside for garnish or serving.
- Fry the Kababs: Heat oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. Fry the kababs until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Serve: Serve hot with chutney, sliced onions, and lemon wedges as an appetizer or snack.
Notes
- Soaking chana dal overnight significantly reduces cooking time and softens the dal for easier blending.
- Adjust green and red chili quantities to your heat preference.
- The egg is optional but helps bind the mixture for easier shaping and frying.
- You can freeze shaped kababs before frying. Fry them directly from frozen for a quick snack.
- Using the Instant Pot to pressure cook retains moisture and tenderness in the beef, making kababs melt in your mouth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 kabab
- Calories: 85 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
