Shami Kabab: Pakistani Ground beef and Chickpea Kabab

This Shami Kabab Recipe is a delicious meat patty made with ground beef and split chickpeas, then fried. Perfect as a snack, appetizer, or a quick lunch.

If you’ve ever dropped by any Pakistani households, even unannounced, I am certain that you were force-fed at least one cup of chai (tea) and multiple snacks.

There’s also a good chance that one of those snacks was Shami Kabab.

Shami Kabab is a multifaceted delight. It’s can be the appetizer at a dawat (dinner party), a snack at tea time, or a quick lunch sandwiched between two slices of bread.

Looking for more classic Pakistani Kabab recipes?

• Seekh Kabab – Pakistani Ground Beef Skewers
• Gola Kabab
• Ground Beef Cutlets: Spiced Pakistani Beef Burgers/Kababs
• Chicken Shami Kabab: Chicken and Lentil Patties

What is Shami Kabab?

Shami Kabab is a meat patty made with a cooked mixture of ground beef, split chickpeas, and flavorful spices.

The cooked filling is then shaped, dipped in egg, and fried.

Shami Kabab is a popular kabab in Pakistan and other places on the subcontinent.

The origin of the Shami Kabab, particularly its name has two popular explanations. Some believe it to be called shami kabab because it is often enjoyed in the evening (shaam). Others believe that it originates from modern-day Syria which used to be known as Bilad-al Sham.

In Pakistan, today, it is enjoyed as an appetizer on its own, or in a sandwich called Bun Kabab – very popular street food in cities across Pakistan!

Ingredients and Tools for Shami Kabab

• Ground Beef – This recipe is made with ground beef that is boiled with lentils.
• Chana Daal – split chickpeas – these are an integral part of mixture of the kabab.
• Onions and Potato -The onions help keep the kababs moist and the potatoes help bind the kabab mixture together. Make sure to peel and cube them so they cook faster.
• Whole Spices – Red chilli whole, Cumin, Coriander seeds, Cinnamon stick – are added when preparing the lentil and beef mixture.
• Eggs & Yogurt– the eggs help bind the kababs together, and add the signature outer layer to the kababs
• Instant Pot – The instant pot makes the process of cooking the ground beef and lentil mixture quicker and more convenient.
• Food Processor – You can either mash the lentil and beef mixture with a potato masher or use a food processor for a smooth mixture.

How to make Shami Kabab Recipe?

Shami Kabab is a dish that takes a little time and preparation. Trying to make these kababs when the mixture is too hot, or too moist will yield in broken, yet delicious kababs.

But we have the detailed Shami kabab recipe along with lots of tips to make them!

Prepare the ingredients – Shami Kabab Masala

First, coarse-grind the spices. We highly recommend grinding your spices when you need them for the best flavors.

For the shami kabab masala (spices) you’ll need:

• cumin seeds
• coriander seeds
• black pepper
• cinnamon
• black cardamom
• whole red chilis

Grind them together in a coffee grinder or spice grinder.

Then, soak the channa 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.

Cook the mixture

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.

Stovetop directions:

Bring the water to a boil, then let it simmer on medium heat until the channa dal is cooked. This can take between 1 – 1 1/2 hours depending on your stove.

The mixture is cooked when the ground beef is cooked, the channa daal is tender and the water has evaporated.

Instant Pot Directions:

If you have an Instant Pot, the mixture can be cooked in the Instant Pot – on manual mode for 30 minutes. Check to see that the daal is tender and the ground beef is cooked.

Then continue cooking on sauté mode until all the water has evaporated.

Tip: The mixture should be quite dry at the end of the cooking process. If it is still moist, then continue to cook until all the water has dried.

Mash the cooked mixture

If you do have a food processor, add the mixture to a food processor, and pulse until meat and lentils are combined.

This Pakistani-style Shami Kabab recipe uses ground beef (instead of whole) to make it easier to make without a food processor.

Use a potato masher or a heavy spoon to mash the daal and mix it into the ground beef. You should not see as many whole channa daal after you have finished this part.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

At this point, you can store the mixture in the fridge, or start assembling the kababs.

Assemble the Shami kababs

To test if the mixture is ready, take a teaspoon of the mixture and shape 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.

Once the mixture is ready, add 1 tablespoon yogurt and one egg yolk to the mixture and incorporate fully.

To make the Shami kababs, roll 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture into a ball, and flatten to form a disc. Set aside on a plate or tray.

The recipe will make around 15-20 kababs. You can also freeze them at this point if you won’t need them all.

Fry the Beef Shami Kabab

Once you’re ready to make the kababs, preheat a frying pan with a few tablespoons of oil, on medium heat.

Dip the kabab into the beaten egg white.

Then transfer to the preheated frying pan.

Fry in shallow oil, about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.

How to serve Shami Kabab?

Shami Kababs are multipurpose

✨ Use shami kabab as a patty for a sandwich: These beef shami kabab and our chicken shami kabab are the perfect snack, appetizer or quick lunch in a sandwich like a Bun Kabab Sandwich and Imli Chutney.

✨ Serve as a snack: Shami kababs are the perfect snack to entertain with along with a cup of chai and maybe something sweet like these Nankhatai

✨ Appetizer for a dinner party: These shami kabab are the perfect appetizers for a dinner party with Korma or Chicken Biryani as a main dish.

Tips for Shami Kabab

• The Shami Kabab mixture should be quite dry at the end of the cooking process. If it is still moist, then continue to cook until all the water has dried.
• The recipe for this shami kabab can be made over two days – cook the mixture, and let it cool on the first day, and then shape and fry the kababs the next day.
• These shami kababs can be shaped and frozen. When you are ready to serve them, dip them in the egg white mixture and fry as normal.

If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess

Ready to make Shami Kabab?

Here are our favorites to make Shami Kabab: