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Pakistani

Shami kebab

Non-vegetarian

شامی کباب · shami kabab

Soft, melting patties of beef and chana dal cooked with whole spices, pounded smooth, mixed with herbs and shallow-fried. A make-ahead favourite for lunchboxes, Ramadan and guests.

Shami kebab is a Pakistani starter, ready in about 2 hours 40 minutes and made with beef chuck and chana dal (split bengal gram). It serves 8 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Shami kebabs: round fried minced-meat and lentil patties on a glass platter with basil
Photo: Miansari66 / Wikimedia Commons · public-domain
Prep
25 min
Cook
1 h 15 min
Rest
1 h
Total
2 h 40 min
Serves
8
Level
Intermediate
Calories
206

Ingredients

8 servings (16 kebabs)

To finish

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Soak the rinsed chana dal (opens in a new tab) in plenty of cold water for 1 hour, then drain.

    • 2 min

  2. Step 2

    Put the beef, drained dal, onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, whole spices, salt and water in a pan. Cover and simmer until the meat is falling apart and the dal is soft.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Uncover and cook, stirring, until every bit of liquid has evaporated and the mixture is dry. Remove the cinnamon (opens in a new tab) and bay leaf (opens in a new tab) and cool.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Grind to a smooth, slightly sticky paste in a food processor (opens in a new tab). Mix in one egg (opens in a new tab), the mint (opens in a new tab), cilantro (opens in a new tab), green chilli (opens in a new tab) and finely chopped onion (opens in a new tab).

    Spices being ground in a mortar and pestle
    How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Shape into 16 flat patties with oiled hands. Dip each in beaten egg (opens in a new tab) if you like, and shallow-fry in batches until golden on both sides.

    Food deep-frying in hot oil
    How it looks · Photo: Riya Roy on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Commonly attributedAssociated with the Mughal-influenced kitchens of North India (notably Lucknow) and with Pakistani home cooking.Also popular in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh
Dish
Snack · Lunch · Dinner · Appetizers & starters · Grills & kebabs
Cooking method
Simmered, Shallow-fried
Taste
savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced, spicy (chilli heat), herby
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Low-carb · High-protein · DASH-style · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Freezer-friendly · Make-ahead · Portable / lunchbox · Meal-prep friendly
Cook more with
Beef chuck · Chana dal (split bengal gram) · Onion · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Dried whole chillies
Techniques
Shallow-frying · Simmering · Knife skills

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

206 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 196 g · recipe makes 8

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 35%
  • Carbohydrate 27%
  • Fat 38%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy206 kcal105 kcal
Protein18.2 g9.3 g
Carbohydrate14.3 g7.3 g
Net carbohydrate11.3 g5.8 g
Sugars2.7 g1.4 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.9 g1.5 g
Fat8.9 g4.6 g
Saturated fat1.8 g0.9 g
Trans fat0.2 g0.1 g
Cholesterol63 mg32 mg
Sodium505 mg258 mg
Salt equivalent1.3 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
447 mg
Calcium
50 mg
Iron
2.7 mg
Magnesium
35 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
30 µg
Vitamin C
7 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
1.5 µg
Folate (DFE)
96 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: egg.
  • Chana dal (split bengal gram): Whole raw chickpeas / bengal gram (FDC 173756) used as a stand-in for split, skinned desi chickpeas; the composition is very close.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Shaped, uncooked kebabs freeze well between sheets of baking paper — fry from frozen.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving moisture in the mixture makes kebabs that break apart in the pan.

Serve with

  • Serve with mint chutney and onion rings, or alongside biryani and daal chawal.

Food safety

  • Wash hands and boards after handling raw beef and egg.
  • The beef is fully cooked before grinding; fry the kebabs until hot right through so the raw egg binder is cooked.
  • Freeze shaped kebabs on the day they are made; refrigerate cooked kebabs within 2 hours.

Storage

  • Refrigerate cooked kebabs for 3 days; freeze shaped kebabs for up to 3 months.

Reheating

  • Re-fry briefly or warm in a hot oven.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

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