This Bun Kabab sandwich is a Pakistani street food staple. It is made with a beef and lentil patty, then topped with a green tamarind sauce and lots of onions for a tangy, sweet, and spicy dish!
If you’ve wandered the markets of Karachi, you’ve likely laid your eyes upon the famous Bun Kabab.
Walking by the busy vendors, you will be in awe of how quickly the busy roadside vendors put together the bun kabab! They fry the kababs, lay on the chutney, and lots of crunchy onions sandwiched in between a bun! This video captures some of the magic!
Bun Kabab is a street Food staple in Karachi and many parts of Pakistan.
A classic bun kabab has a Shami kabab fried in egg white and topped with tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce and lots of crunchy onions that brings the whole sandwich together!
It is an explosion of flavors that sweet, spicy and tangy all at once!
Our homemade version has lots of the same flavors. This sandwich has a classic Shami kabab patty topped with a tangy, spicy, yet sweet sauce and lots of crunchy onions that bring the whole dish together!
What goes into Bun Kabab?
This bun kabab recipe involves several components:
- Shami Kabab – This is the star of this sandwich. It is beef and lentil patty. We have a whole post dedicated to lots of tips and the recipe for Shami Kabab. Around here, we always make extras and store them in the freezer for a quick meal or snack!
- Buns – For this, it’s best to use soft white buns (like Wonder bread in Canada or the US). It is the best vehicle to soak up the filling and sauce.
- Green Imli chutney – This chutney is a sweet, spicy, tangy sauce made with fresh cilantro, mint, tamarind, garlic, and chili. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, you can even use this Tamarind and Date Sauce!
- Toppings – Typically, bun kabab is topped with lots of crunchy onions. You can also add an egg omelet or lettuce and tomatoes to make it a more wholesome sandwich.
Recipe and Tips
Shami Kabab
Shami Kabab has a couple of different steps:
- Prep and Soak the Filling
- Cook the Filling
- Mash the Filling, then cool
- Shape and fry the patties
Step #1: Prepare and Soak the Filling
First, coarse grind the spices. For the shami kabab masala we’re using:
- cumin seeds
- coriander seeds
- black pepper
- cinnamon
- black cardamom
- whole red chilis
A coffee grinder or spice grinder works well here.
Then, soak the chana dal (split chickpeas), along with the ground spices in about 3 cups of water, for at least an hour. Soaking the channa daal overnight is ideal.
We recommend soaking this in a large pot, which you can then use to cook the filling.
Step #2: Cook the filling
Then it’s time to cook the mixture.
To the soaked channa daal, and spices add the ground beef, one sliced potato, and sliced onion.
Then cook the mixture either on the stove top or in an Instant Pot.
This step can take over an hour on the stove top, so the Instant an Instant Pot is a good alternative.
Cook until the beef is cooked, the lentils tender, and the water has fully evaporated.
If the mixture is still wet, it will be hard to shape the kababs and they might break when you fry them.
Step #3: Mash the filling, then cool
Using a food processor (easiest option), or a potato masher or heavy spoon, process the mixture until it is fully mashed.
You should not see as many whole channa daals (lentils) after you have finished this part.
To test if the mixture is ready, take a teaspoon of the mixture and shape it into a ball. If it holds its shape it is ready to make the kababs.
If not, you might need to put it back on the stove and cook it a little longer until all the moisture has evaporated.
Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature.
At this point, you can store the mixture in the fridge, or start assembling the kababs.
Step #4: Shape and fry the patties
Once ready to make the kababs, add 1 tablespoon yogurt and one egg yolk to the mixture and incorporate fully. Save the egg white for later.
Then, take 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture and roll into a ball, and flatten to form a disc. Set aside on a plate or tray. Repeat the process for the rest of the mixture.
The recipe will make around 15-20 kababs. You can also freeze them at this point if you won’t need them all.
Once you’re ready to fry the kababs, preheat a frying pan with a few tablespoons of oil, on medium heat. Beat the egg white until it is a little foamy.
Dip the kabab into the beaten egg white.
Then transfer to a preheated non-stick frying pan. (We love this set by T-fal!).
Fry in shallow oil, about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Green Imli Chutney
Prepare Tamarind Pulp (if using a block of tamarind) by soaking it in a little hot water and then blending it.
Prep and clean the cilantro stalks and mint leaves.
Return the tamarind pulp to the blender. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth.
Adjust the sugar and chili powder to taste, if you would like it sweeter or spicier.
Assemble the Bun Kababs
To assemble the bun kababs dry toast your buns.
Spread 1 tablespoon of chutney to each half of the buns.
Lay one Shami kabab patty on the bottom half of the buns. Add some sliced onions and any other toppings you want. Close it with the top bun.
Serve with additional chutney and ketchup for dipping.
What to serve with Bun Kabab
This bun kabab can be served with lots of chutney and onions on the side.
You can also add some french fries or salad on the side. If you’re looking for another tangy side dish, these Laal Aloo won’t disappoint!
If you give this Bun Kabab recipe a try, we’d love to see it!
Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess
Ready to make Bun Kabab?
Karachi Bun Kabab Recipe
Ingredients
Shami Kabab / Beef and Lentil Patty
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 lb Split chickpeas Chana daal
- 3 cups water
- 1 medium potato peeled and sliced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 2-3 Red chilli whole
- Cumin 1 tsp
- Black pepper 1 tsp
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1 Cinnamon stick 2-inch
- 1 Egg separated
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- Salt to taste
- 4 tbsp Oil
Green Tamarind Chutney
- ½- ¾ cup Imli pulp
- ½ teaspoon Cumin roasted
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup Cilantro
- 1 cup Mint leaves fresh
- 1-2 Green chillies or 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- ¼- ½ teaspoon Black Salt or chaat masala
Bun Kabab Assembly
- 4 buns
- Sliced onions
- Green Tamarind Chutney
- 2 eggs optional
Instructions
Shami Kabab
- Grind the whole spices: cumin seeds, coriander seeds, whole black pepper, cardamom, whole red chilis, and cinnamon stick.
- Soak chana dal & other spices overnight in a large pot with 3 cups of water.
- Add ground beef, potato and onion along with the soaked lentils to the pot.
- Cook the Mixture either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Stove Top: Boil until the ground beef is cooked, the lentils are tender, and the water has evaporated. Instant Pot: Cook on Manual Mode for 30 minutes, until the ground beef is cooked, the lentils are tender. Continue cooking on sautee mode for at least 10 minutes, stirring often, until all the water has evaportated. Remove from heat, and cool the cooked mixture until it comes to room temperature.
- Pulse the mixture together in a food processor to process until smooth or manually With a potato masher. Mash all the ingredients together, until the channa dal is no longer whole.
- Assemble Shami Kabab
- When ready to assemble the kababs, separate one egg. Add the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of yogurt to the ground beef and lentil mixture. Beat the egg white in a separate bowl, with few drops of water.
- Fry the Kababs
- Preheat a frying pan on medium heat with oil.
- To make the Shami kababs, roll 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture into a ball, and flatten to form a disc. Dip the kabab into the egg whites. Fry in shallow oil, about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Continue the process with remaining mixture.
Green Tamarind Chutney
- Prepare Tamarind Pulp (if using a block of tamarind): Add ½ cup of tamarind pulp in a few tablespoons of hot water and blitz in a blender for 10-15 seconds.
- Prep and clean the cilantro stalks and mint leaves.
- Return the tamarind pulp to the blender. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth. Adjust the sugar and chili to taste.
Assemble Shami Kabab
- Whisk 2 eggs in a small bowl, then add to a pan on medium heat with a couple of tablespoons of oil, to make an omelette. Flip halfway through cooking. Divide the omelette into 4 pieces to split among the sandwiches
- Toast your buns.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of chutney to each half of the buns.
- Lay one shami kabab patty on the bottom half of the buns. Place the omelette, and some sliced onions. Close it with the top bun.
- Serve with additional chutney and ketchup for dipping