Hassan Zai Bihari Boti Recipe (Karachi Beef, Charcoal Grilled)

Hassan Zai Koyla Karahi in Karachi is known for its Bihari boti: thin beef strips marinated in a thick masala and grilled on skewers over charcoal. In the video description you have the restaurant’s 12-spice Bihari masala with exact amounts; the amounts of the marinade (beef, papaya, yogurt, oil) are not stated, so they are marked as such in the recipe card. We filmed the whole marinade at the stall, from the tray of raw beef to the skewers on the coals.

Watch the Hassan Zai Bihari Boti Video

• 0:15 The Hassan Zai stall
• 0:40 The pastes go on the beef
• 1:19 Mixing by hand
• 2:22 Yogurt
• 2:42 The ground spice mix
• 3:31 Red chilli powder
• 4:20 The finished marinade
• 5:29 On the charcoal

What Makes This Hassan Zai Bihari Boti Different

The 12-spice Bihari masala. A blend of cumin, nutmeg, mace, black pepper, kabab cheeni, cinnamon, black and green cardamom, clove, poppy seed, black cumin and pippali.

Thin strips of beef. Bihari boti is cut thin and flat so it takes the marinade through and cooks fast.

Raw papaya to tenderise. A raw papaya paste makes the strips soft before they are marinated.

Charcoal grilling. The strips are threaded flat on skewers and grilled over hot coals.

Ingredient Notes

• Masala: make a larger batch and store it in a jar; use as much as you need.
• Beef: ask for thin, flat strips (undercut or topside).
• Mustard oil: it gives the Bihari taste; amount not stated.

Amounts are from the video and recipe card. Items marked * are our estimate.

How to Make Hassan Zai Bihari Boti

1. Make the Bihari masala

Mix all 12 spices well. The amounts are in the recipe card. Use as much of the blend as you need.

2. Spread the beef and add the pastes

Spread the thin beef strips in a tray and add the papaya and garlic pastes.

3. Mix by hand

Mix the pastes into the beef with your hands until every strip is coated.

4. Add yogurt and the masala

Add the yogurt and the Bihari masala.

5. Add the chilli and oil

Add the red chilli powder, white pepper and mustard oil and mix until the whole tray is evenly coated.

6. Skewer and grill

Thread the strips onto skewers so they stay flat and grill over hot charcoal, turning often, until golden and lightly charred. Serve hot with lemon, green chilli and ginger.

Original Hassan Zai Bihari Boti Recipe

The authentic Karachi-style Beef Bihari Boti. These thin beef strips are marinated in a pungent mustard oil base with a secret 12-spice handmade masala, ensuring a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Ingredients:

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 Persons

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Hassan Zai Bihari Boti Recipe

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

Bihari boti masala (from the video description)

• 2 tbsp white cumin seed powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tsp mace powder
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kabab cheeni
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp black cardamom powder
• 1 tsp green cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp clove powder
• 2 tbsp poppy seed powder
• 1/2 tsp black cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp pippali powder

Marinade (amounts not stated)

• beef thin strips
• raw papaya paste to tenderise
• garlic paste about 4-5 tbsp
• food colour
• yogurt
• mustard oil
• red chilli powder
• white pepper

Method

 

Make the masala

1. Mix all the Bihari masala spices well and use as much as you need.

Marinate

1. Spread the thin beef strips in a tray. Add the pastes (papaya and garlic) and mix them in by hand until every strip is coated.
2. Add the yogurt and the Bihari masala, then the red chilli powder, white pepper and mustard oil, and mix the whole tray well.

Grill

1. Thread the marinated strips onto skewers so they stay flat.
2. Grill over hot charcoal, turning often, until golden and lightly charred. Serve hot with lemon, green chilli and ginger.

Video

Notes

• Pro-Tip: If the beef is not “undercut,” increase the papaya paste by 1 tablespoon.
• Spice Storage: You can make a large batch of this spice mix and store it in an airtight jar for up to 3 months.

Hassan Zai Bihari Boti Problems and How to Fix Them

• The strips are tough: the strips were too thick or not tenderised long enough with papaya.
• The marinade is thin: add less yogurt and more masala.
• The strips burn: the coals are too hot. Use medium heat and turn often.

Serving and Storing

Serve hot with lemon, green chilli and ginger, as in the video. Puri paratha or naan goes well with it.

Hassan Zai Bihari Boti FAQs

What is in Bihari masala?

Cumin, nutmeg, mace, black pepper, kabab cheeni, cinnamon, black and green cardamom, clove, poppy seed, black cumin and pippali, as listed in the recipe card.

Why raw papaya?

It tenderises the thin strips.

Can I use another meat?

Yes. The restaurant uses cow, buffalo or goat.

More Recipes

• Dua Restaurant beef Bihari boti: BBQ Bihari boti from Dua Restaurant.
• Bihari kabab: Khyber Shinwari’s Bihari kabab.
• Bihari beef pasanday: a slow-cooked Bihari beef dish.