Adventures in Cooking: Chapli kebabs and ground beef patties

Majida Rashid

As a young child in Pakistan, I tended to avoid eating ground beef curry because it smelled of spicy fat. I loved chapli kebabs, however. The chapli kebabs I remember were huge, and at the time were made only in Peshawar.

Occasionally kebabs appeared on our hostel menu when I was a student.  We were allowed only one kebab per student because the school brought them from outside.  Our cook never gave us a second one.  He knew most girls only nibbled a little and threw away the rest.  So we would hide behind other students and extend our arm with the plate.  The thrill of outwitting the cook was great.

Lottia bazaar in Peshawar was renowned to have the best chapli kebabs but we dared not go there because it was crowded with rickshaws and men. 

Instead, we would go to a chapli kebab shop in the Saddar bazaar that had a hearth encased in a circular clay wall with an opening facing the street.  Leaping woodfire flames, extinguished only a little before closing, were visible from outside.  A huge black metal tray on top of the hearth had slightly raised edges to keep the liquid in. The tray always had kebabs immersed in sizzling liquid ghee, which is hydrogenated fat, and whitish smoke swirled upwards like mist forewarning the arrival of a genie.

The “kebbabi,” or kebab maker, kept a big tray with ground beef that had been mixed with dried pomegranate seeds, crushed red chili-peppers and coriander seeds, diced onions, green chilies, sliced red tomatoes and salt on his right.  

A pedestal fan strategically placed on his left blew air over his side and back, avoiding the woodfire.  Extreme flaring of flames would char the kebabs on the outside and keep them raw on the inside. 
The man would put a big sphere of the prepared meat on the tray and press it down to form an oblong shape with his fingers.  Then he would dexterously slide the kebab into the searing ghee; without any fear of getting burned. 

A helper would move the browned kebabs to the side with a long black iron rod attached to a flat rectangular end wide enough to hold a kebab.  While deep frying seared the juices placing them away from the oil ensured the kebabs were cooked on the inside.  Tangy jewel-like red tomatoes pieces peeking here and there made the kebabs so enticing.  The interior always showed off steaming light-colored succulent meat.  These kebabs are best when eaten right away.

Kebbabis were so focused on their kebabs that they appeared oblivious to the sweat trickling down their foreheads.  They would have made 10 kebabs in the time it took me to write about the process. 
The Saddar bazaar also presented an opportunity to get some patties, which were very popular among the girls. They were light on the stomach and an excellent snack to have with evening tea. Since I can’t buy patties here, I sometimes make them at home. Even children love them.


Ground Beef Patties
 
Ingredients

1/2 pound finely ground beef

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in half a cup of water

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander

1 packet of frozen puff pastry squares

1 egg, slightly beaten

A greased rectangular baking tray

Directions

Thaw six pastry squares at room temperature.

Meanwhile, heat a pan over high heat and add the meat. Crush it with a wooden spoon. Add the onions when juices start appearing. Cook until the color is changed and juices are completely dried. It’s important to keep the heat high. Add oil and cumin seeds and cook for a little while.  Mix in the tomato paste and seasoning.  Lower the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dry all liquid. 

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  

Dust the working surface with flour and roll out the pastry until thin. Divide the beef into six equal portions. Place a portion in the middle of one pastry and egg wash the sides. Join the opposite corners and form a triangle. Seal all sides with a fork. Egg wash the top and put the patties on an oiled tray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Serve warm.

2 – 3 servings