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Original Mutton Chapli Kabab Recipe - Cooking with Kawish

Original Mutton Chapli Kabab Recipe

Chapli Kabab is a famous Pashtun-style minced mutton patty, originating from Peshawar. Known for its distinct flattened shape, coarse texture, and vibrant blend of spices including anardana, it's a beloved street food and restaurant delicacy, especially during Eid. This recipe delivers the authentic, juicy, and flavorful experience of restaurant-style Chapli Kababs.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 Persons
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Peshawari / Pashtun, Restaurant Style
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 500 g Mutton Mince (Qeema) with 20-25% fat, preferably hand-minced
  • 1 large Onion finely chopped and squeezed of excess water (approx. 150g)
  • 1 medium Tomato deseeded and finely chopped (approx. 100g)
  • 2-3 Green Chillies finely chopped, adjust to taste
  • 1.5 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
  • 1 Egg beaten (for binding)
  • 2 tbsp Corn Flour or gram flour (besan), for binding
  • As needed Cooking Oil / Mutton Fat for shallow frying
Whole & Crushed Spices
  • 1.5 tbsp Coriander Seeds (Sabut Dhaniya) coarsely crushed
  • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (Sabut Zeera) coarsely crushed
  • 1 tbsp Anardana (Dried Pomegranate Seeds) coarsely crushed
  • 1 tsp Red Chilli Flakes (Dardari Mirch)
Ground Spices
  • 1 tsp Salt or to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • 0.5 tsp Garam Masala Powder
  • 0.25 tsp Turmeric Powder optional, for color
For Garnish & Serving
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander chopped
  • 1 Lemon cut into wedges, for serving
  • 1 Egg sliced (for topping each kabab while frying, traditional and optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Prepare Mince: Ensure mutton mince is very lean and ideally hand-minced for a coarse texture. If machine-minced, pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
  2. Chop Vegetables: Finely chop the onion and squeeze out all excess water using a muslin cloth or paper towels. Deseed and finely chop the tomato. Finely chop green chilies and fresh coriander.
  3. Crush Spices: Coarsely crush coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and anardana in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. This coarse texture is key to authentic chapli kababs.
  4. Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the mutton mince, squeezed onion, chopped tomato, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, beaten egg, corn flour, all coarsely crushed spices (coriander, cumin, anardana, red chili flakes), and ground spices (salt, black pepper, garam masala, turmeric).
  5. Mix Thoroughly: Mix everything very thoroughly by hand for at least 5-7 minutes. The mixture should become cohesive and slightly sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the mixture to firm up.
Cooking
  1. Heat Oil: Heat cooking oil or mutton fat in a large, shallow frying pan or karahi over medium-high heat. The oil should be enough for shallow frying the kababs, about 1-2 inches deep.
  2. Form Kababs: Take a generous portion of the mince mixture (about 2-3 tablespoons) and flatten it into a thin, large, round patty. Chapli kababs are typically larger and flatter than other kababs, and they will shrink slightly upon cooking.
  3. Add Topping (Optional): If desired, place a thin slice of tomato or a small piece of the extra sliced egg on top of each kabab before carefully placing it into the hot oil.
  4. Fry First Side: Carefully place the kababs in the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry for 4-5 minutes on one side until it turns golden brown and develops a crispy crust.
  5. Flip and Cook: Gently flip the kababs and fry for another 4-5 minutes on the second side until cooked through, nicely browned, and crispy. Adjust the heat as needed to ensure even cooking without burning.
  6. Drain Excess Oil: Once cooked, remove the chapli kababs from the pan and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Final Touches
  1. Serve Hot: Garnish the hot Mutton Chapli Kababs with fresh chopped coriander. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, naan, and your favorite chutneys or raita.

Video

Notes

For best results, use hand-minced mutton with about 20-25% fat content for juicier kababs. Serve hot with naan, raita, mint chutney, or fresh salad. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days and reheated gently in a pan or oven.