Chapli Kebab

Name: Chapli Kebab
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Afghan
Ingredients: 500g coarse ground lamb or beef (with some fat content); 1 medium red onion, finely chopped; 1 medium tomato, deseeded and finely chopped; Small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped; 1–2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped; 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed; 1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed; ½ tsp red chilli flakes, or to taste; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 egg; Salt to taste; Generous amount of oil or ghee for frying

چپلی کباب/chap-lee ke-baab/

About this dish

Chapli kebab is a flat, pan-fried minced meat patty popular across Afghanistan and the Pashtun regions of Pakistan, seasoned with a bold blend of spices, fresh herbs, and tomatoes. It is known for its crispy exterior, juicy interior, and distinctively rustic, irregular shape.

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Ingredients

🥩500g coarse ground lamb or beef (with some fat content)

🧅1 medium red onion, finely chopped

🍅1 medium tomato, deseeded and finely chopped

🌿Small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

🌶️1–2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped

🫙1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed

🫙1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed

🫙½ tsp red chilli flakes, or to taste

🧄3 cloves garlic, minced

🥚1 egg

🫙Salt to taste

🫒Generous amount of oil or ghee for frying

Method

Serves 2

Combine the ground meat, chopped onion, tomato, fresh coriander, green chillies, garlic, crushed coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chilli flakes, egg, and salt in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand until well combined.

Cover the mixture and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours, to let the flavours meld together.

Divide the mixture into equal portions roughly the size of a large golf ball. Press each portion firmly between your palms into a flat, roughly oval or round patty about 1–1.5 cm thick — the shape does not need to be perfectly uniform.

Heat a generous layer of oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed frying pan or tawa over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.

Carefully lay the patties in the hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding the pan. Fry for approximately 4–5 minutes on the first side until a deep brown, crispy crust forms.

Flip the patties carefully and fry for a further 3–4 minutes on the other side until cooked through and equally browned. The patties should be cooked all the way through with no pink centre.

Remove the kebabs from the pan and drain briefly on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot with naan or flatbread, sliced raw onion, fresh tomato, and a green chutney or yogurt on the side.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

Chapli kebab is strongly associated with Pashtun culinary traditions and is especially well-known in the Peshawar region of Pakistan as well as across Afghanistan. It is commonly eaten as a street food or restaurant dish, typically served with naan bread, sliced onions, and fresh chutney. The name is widely believed to derive from a Pashto or Persian word relating to the flat or slipper-like shape of the patty, though precise etymology is debated.

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