Chapli kebab

Chapli Kebab or Kabab (Pashto: چپلي کباب‎)[lower-greek 1][lower-greek 2] is a Pashtun-style minced kebab, usually made from ground beef, mutton or chicken with various spices in the shape of a patty. It orginates from Peshawar in the Khyber Pakhtunkwa province of Pakistan, also known in KPK as the Pekhawri Chapli Kabab or Peshawari Chapli Kabab.[2][1]

Chapli kabab
A plate of chicken chapli kababs with garnish
Alternative namesPeshawari Chapli kabab
TypeKebab
CourseAppetiser, main course or side dish
Place of originSouth Asia Central Asia[1]
Associated national cuisineAfghan[1]
Main ingredientsMinced beef, mutton, or chicken
Ingredients generally usedVarious herbs and spices
Beef Chapli kabab served at a Balti restaurant in Birmingham, UK.

The Pekhawri Chapli Kabab is made with beef and is a popular Street Food throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of Pakistan, as well as in eastern Afghanistan and in some parts of Bangladesh[3] and India.[1]

Originally made with beef in Peshawar Pakistan, it can now be found with chicken and lamb as well to cater for people who do not eat beef. Depending on region, Chapli kababs recipes have been altered, adding regional spices to it. But the Peshawari Chapli Kababs are the most basic ones with minimum ingredients and spices.

In Bangladesh, Chapli kababs are broadly consumed, especially in Dhaka. But it is most popular during the time of Eid-ul Azha and in ramadan as an iftar component .[3][4]

In India, it is eaten as a regular street food in the cities of Bhopal, Lucknow, Delhi and Hyderabad; where Muslims have a denser population.[5]

Chapli Kababs can be served and eaten hot with naan bread or like a sandwich, such as a bun kebab.[1]

Origins

Mughal culinary influences in the region popularised a number of kebab dishes, resulting in local recipes such as the chapli kebab.[1] The name chapli is said to be derived from the Pashto word chaprikh, meaning "flat" – alluding to the kebab's light, round and flattened texture.[1] Another theory is that the name is derived from chappal, the local word for sandals – implying the average shape and size of a kebab, which resembles that of a front part of the chappal sole.[6]

The city of Peshawar, where the recipe took hold, has over 2,000 kebab houses that serve the chapli kebab.[7] Such eateries have rapidly expanded in other cities as well. Today, the chapli kebab is featured on the menu of South Asian restaurants across the world.[7]

Ingredients and preparation

The chapli kebab is prepared with raw, marinated mince and the meat can be either beef or lamb/mutton. The main ingredients include wheat flour, different herbs and spices such as chili powder, coriander leaves, followed by smaller quantities of onions, tomatoes, eggs, ginger, coriander or cumin seeds, green chillies, corn starch, salt and pepper, baking powder, as well as a seasoning of lemon juice or pomegranate seeds.[2][1]

The kebabs can be fried shallow or deep in vegetable cooking oil over medium heat. Some chefs fry the kebabs in lamb fat over wood-fired stoves to lend an organic flavour. This approach is avoided by other gastronomists, citing health-conscious reasons.[8]

Serving

Once cooked, chapli kebabs can be served and garnished with parsley, chopped onions and tomatoes, along with other accompaniments such as various chutney sauces, salad, yoghurt, pickles or nuts.[9][10][11] The chapli kebab is best served aromatic, moist and spicy.[12] It is considered a specialty of Pashtun cuisine and often served to guests.[13] The kebab is commonly consumed in meals with bread such as naan, rice dishes such as Kabuli pulao, or wrapped in fast food.[7] In winters, green tea such as kahwah may traditionally be served alongside it, while cold drinks are preferred in the summers.[7]

See also

Notes
  1. Urdu: چپلی کباب‎
  2. Hindi: चपली कबाब

References
  1. Tirmizi, Bisma (19 March 2014). "Food Stories: Chapli kabab". Dawn. Retrieved 25 July 2016. The province formerly known as NWFP and the eastern region of Afghanistan can proudly lay claim to the spicy flat meat beef patty, however, it stands as a favourite throughout Pakistan and India.
  2. Burman, Divya. "Peshawari Chappali Kebab". NDTV Food. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  3. "Dhaka shops selling iftar delicacies". Bangla Tribune. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  4. "'Chapli Kebab' - Alpana Habib". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  5. "Chapli Kebab: The Flat Minced Meat Marvel Is An Explosion of Flavours You Must Not Miss".
  6. Mittmann, Karin; Ihsan, Zafar (1991). Culture Shock!: Pakistan. Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company. p. 104. ISBN 9781558680593.
  7. Shinwari, Sher Alam (13 October 2013). "On the menu: Krazy about (Chapli) kebab". Dawn. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  8. Malik, Shiza (27 July 2015). "Khyber's most delicious export". Dawn. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  9. Usmani, Sumayya. "Beef chapli kebab with pomegranate chutney". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  10. Webb, Lois Sinaiko; Roten, Lindsay Grace (2009). The Multicultural Cookbook for Students. ABC-CLIO. p. 102. ISBN 9780313375590.
  11. Agha, Bilal (25 March 2016). "Weekend grub: Could these chapli kebabs from Peshawar be the best in Pakistan?". Dawn. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  12. Dupree, Louis (2014). Afghanistan. Princeton University Press. p. 231. ISBN 9781400858910.
  13. Khaliq, Fazal (16 February 2012). "Comfort food: Keeping warm with kebabs". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
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