Chapli Kebab

⏳ Time

40 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

This recipe is adapted from a book about Central Asian and Caucasian cuisine. These Afghan spiced beef patties are named for their flat shape ("chapli" means "sandal"). They are well-seared on the outside, wonderfully juicy on the inside, and garnished with pomegranate seeds that resemble precious gems.

Ingredients

Lean Beef - 30 oz
Garlic - 3 cloves
Ginger - 1 piece
Ground ancho chili pepper - 3 pieces
Cilantro - 1 bunch
Onion - 2 heads
Ground coriander - 2 spoons
Ground Cumin - 2 spoons
Garam Masala - 2 spoons
Ocean salt - 2 spoons
Pomegranate Seeds - 2 pieces
Safflower Oil - to taste
Tomatoes - 6 pieces
Cilantro - 0 oz
Mint Leaves - to taste
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Lemon - ½ pieces

Step by Step guide

Step 1

For the relish, cut the plum tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds and liquid. Dice the flesh as finely as possible. Add the seeds of one pomegranate, one chili pepper (seeded and finely chopped), a handful of cilantro leaves, a few mint leaves, a clove of garlic, a teaspoon of sugar, a tablespoon of sea salt, and the juice of half a lemon. Mix well and let marinate until serving.

Step 2

For the kebab, combine onion, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse until well chopped but not completely uniform. Add the beef, spices, and salt, and mix gently using the pulse function.

Step 3

Place the minced meat on a clean work surface and mix in the seeds of one pomegranate using your hands. Shape the mixture into six large patties about 2 cm thick (if desired, you can give them an elongated shape, similar to that of a sandal).

Step 4

Heat some oil in a large skillet. Fry the patties in batches for a couple of minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked to your desired doneness. Serve with lime wedges, flatbreads, and a tomato-pomegranate relish.