Ingredients
Patty
- 500 gminced beef
- 100 gchana dal, soaked for 2 hours
- 1onion, roughly chopped
- 4garlic cloves
- 2cm ginger
- 2green chillies
- 1 teaspooncumin seeds
- 1 teaspooncoriander seeds
- 4black peppercorns
- 2cloves
- 1small cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- 1 teaspoongaram masala
To bind and coat
- 2eggs, beaten
- 3 tablespoonschopped coriander
- oil, for shallow frying
Chutney
- a large bunch of coriander
- a handful of mint
- 2green chillies
- 2 tablespoonstamarind pulp
- 1 teaspoonsugar
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- juice of 1 lemon
To build
- 6soft burger buns
- butter, for the buns
- 1onion, thinly sliced
- sliced tomato
- ketchup
Directions
- Drain the soaked chana dal well. Put it in a pot with the minced beef. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies. Add all the whole spices and the salt.
- Pour in enough water to barely cover everything. Bring it to a boil and then lower it. Cover and simmer it for forty minutes. The dal should be completely soft. Uncover the pot and raise the heat. Cook it until all the liquid has gone. Stir it constantly at this stage. The mixture must be genuinely dry.
- Let it cool completely before grinding. Put the cooled mixture in a food processor. Grind it to a smooth, thick paste. It should hold together when squeezed. Turn it out into a large bowl. Mix in all the chopped coriander.
- Add one beaten egg to bind it. Taste it and adjust the salt and garam masala. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for an hour. The paste firms up considerably when cold. Warm paste is impossible to shape neatly. Divide the mixture into six equal pieces. Roll each into a ball between wet palms. Flatten it into a disc about a centimetre thick. Make them slightly wider than the buns.
- Set them on a tray and chill them again. Making the chutney takes five minutes. Put the coriander, mint and chillies in a blender. Add the tamarind pulp, sugar and salt. Add the lemon juice and a splash of water. Blend it to a smooth green sauce. It should be pourable rather than thick.
- Taste it and balance the sour, salt and heat. It should be sharp and clearly hot. Heat oil in a wide frying pan to a shallow depth. Beat the remaining egg in a shallow dish. Dip one patty into the egg on both sides.
- Let all the excess egg drip off. Lay it straight into the hot pan. Fry it for three minutes without moving it. The egg sets into a golden skin. Turn it once and fry the other side. Both sides should be deep golden. Lift it out onto kitchen paper.
- Toast them face down in the same pan. They should be golden and slightly crisp. Spread chutney on both halves of the bun. Set the hot patty on the bottom half. Pile plenty of sliced onion over it. Add tomato and a squeeze of ketchup. Add more chutney on top of everything. Press the top on and wrap the base in paper. Serving it is done immediately.
Technique
- Bun kebab in Karachi ranges from a very cheap lentil-heavy patty to a meat-heavy one, and vendors are known by which they make.
- A version made with a fried egg laid over the patty is also common.
Substitutions
- Minced mutton or chicken can replace the beef.
- A wholly vegetarian version uses only chana dal and potato and is widely sold.
Variations
- Anda bun kebab adds a whole fried egg inside the bun.
- Some carts add a slice of processed cheese.
- A larger double-patty version is sold as a bun kebab special.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bun Kebab?
Bun Kebab is a street food from Pakistan: karachi street burger: spiced patty, egg and chutney in a soft bun.
How long does Bun Kebab take to make?
Bun Kebab takes 40 minutes plus chilling of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 6 buns. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Bun Kebab?
Yes, within limits. Minced mutton or chicken can replace the beef. A wholly vegetarian version uses only chana dal and potato and is widely sold.
What is the most important thing to get right in Bun Kebab?
Drain the soaked chana dal well. Put it in a pot with the minced beef. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies. Add all the whole spices and the salt.
