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Shami kebab are tender patties made with beef and chana dal (yellow split peas), and then dipped in eggs and pan-fried. These kebabs are kid-friendly, naturally gluten-free, and so wholesome! This easy recipe makes a large batch to enjoy some now, and freeze the rest for later!
Shami Kebab
If you’re Pakistani, it’s likely your mom/relative/aunty has a shami kebab freezer stash waiting for the next unexpected guest, hungry child, or lazy evening to strike.
It’s a somewhat prevalent practice, and with good reason. It means when life gets busy, there will be shami kebabs within arm’s reach. Silky, wholesome, deeply flavorful kebabs ready to be thawed, pan-fried and served to a someone who’ll likely be grateful for them.
Shami kebab are not only freezer friendly – as in no detectable change in texture, quality, or taste – they’re also incredibly versatile. Have them with your afternoon chai, as a side to make any dinner menu more abundant, or, my favorite, in a shami kebab sandwich drizzled with ketchup or hot and sour sauce.
How to make Shami Kebab
Shami Kebab are one of those kitchen endeavors that look a lot more intimidating than they actually are. Here’s a walk-through:
Step 1: Grind the whole spices to make a shami kabab masala. If you don’t have a spice/coffee grinder, you may also use a mortar and pestle, though this will be more tedious.
Step 2: Add the beef, lentils, onion, and spices to the Instant Pot or stovetop along with water. Cook. Sauté out extra moisture.
Step 3: Pulse to chop up an onion, a green chili pepper, and herbs in a food processor. Remove those and add the beef and lentil mixture. Process until smooth.
Step 4: Crack in an egg, mix everything and form into patties. Pan-fry.
Step 5: Awe at how simple it was to actually make these treasures all along.
The history behind Shami Kabab
The word ‘shami’ (like shaam in Urdu and Hindi), means early evening in Persian and they’re called shami kabob because they’re often eaten as a late afternoon snack. Mind blown, right? Just me? Ok.
To learn more about the origins and culture of Shami Kebab, check out this beautifully written piece by my friend Maryam, founder of the Saveur-award winning blog Pakistan Eats.
Shami Kebab Q&A
How do you freeze shami kabab?
As you shape the kebabs, place them on a tray and freeze 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Then carefully remove from the tray and transfer them to an airtight container or zipper storage bag.
Can these be made a day or two in advance and refrigerated before pan-frying?
Yes! You can keep the mixture (either shaped or as-is) covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Can shami kabab be baked?
Yes, I was surprised that they bake pretty well! Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the top. Dip the kebab in the egg mixture as you normally would, and then bake them at 450°F for 12-15 minutes, turning midway.
How do you thaw them after freezing?
I simply leave them out at room temperature. If I’m in a hurry (which is often), I’ll microwave them for some seconds before I pan-fry.
Can you use other meat besides ground beef?
Yes! I have tried using chicken tenders and loved the results. If you’re using a meat with less fat (like chicken breast), you may need to mix in an extra egg to help bind the mixture.
More Tips and Ideas
- Shami Kabab purists will, rightly so, insist that beef chunks should be used instead of ground beef. This lends them the traditional, silky texture with ‘resha’, as is often said in Urdu. I grew up with the ground beef version, but I hope to try it with beef ‘boti’ sometime and I’ll update you when I do.
- The key to good shami kebab is to get the mixture dry enough so that the kabobs don’t have excess water and can retain their shape, yet still moist so they retain their beautiful texture. If you feel the mixture is too wet, try sautéing longer, or, as a last resort, adding breadcrumbs, though I don’t think you’ll need them.
- This recipe requires the chana dal to be soaked for at least 30 minutes before adding to the Instant Pot. I would suggest soaking them first, then preparing the rest of the ingredients and adding them to the Instant Pot.
More
Easy Aloo ki Tikki
Pan-Fried Pakora with Green Chutney
Baked Pakistani Seekh Kabab
I hope you get a chance to try this recipe! If you do, let me know in the comments below! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I love hearing from you!
Easy Shami Kabob (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 inch piece cinnamon stick broken into a couple pieces
- 1 small black cardamom
- 2 green cardamom pods seeds removed and pod discarded
- 8-10 whole cloves
To Cook
- 1.5 lb ground beef
- 1 1/2 cup chana dal (yellow split peas) washed and soaked for 30 minutes, then drained
- 1 cup water* for Instant Pot
- 1 medium to large onion roughly chopped
- 8-10 garlic cloves
- 1 ” piece ginger minced or crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2-1 tbsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chaat masala optional
To chop
- 1 small onion coarsely chopped
- 1 thai or Serrano green chili pepper stems removed and roughly chopped
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 1-2 tbsp mint leaves
For mixing
- 1 egg whisked
For pan-frying or baking
- neutral oil as needed
- 1-2 eggs whisked
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients listed under ‘Whole Spices’ in a spice grinder and grind until a powder is formed. You may also crush them in a mortar and pestle, though this will be more tedious. This will come to around 2 ½ tbsp ground spices. Set aside.
Instant Pot Instructions
- In the Instant Pot, add all of the ingredients listed under ‘To Cook’ as well as the freshly ground spices. Mix very well to combine.
- Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting and set the cook time for 20 minutes at high pressure.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot and select the high Sauté setting.
- Sauté, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until all the moisture has evaporated and the mixture starts sticking to the bottom. Turn off the Instant pot and allow the mixture to cool. Remove the bay leaf.
Stovetop Instructions
- In a medium dutch oven, add all of the ingredients listed under 'To Cook' along with the freshly ground spices and 5 1/2 cups of water. Mix well to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Use a slotted spoon to skim off any scum that rises to the surface.
- Place the lid ajar and continue to cook on high heat for 55 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chana dal (yellow split peas) is completely cooked. During the last 10-15 minutes, stir frequently to completely evaporate any moisture. Turn the heat off and allow to cool.
After Cooking
- Combine the onion, green chili peppers, cilantro, and mint in the bowl of a food processor. Use the pulse setting to finely chop (but not blend) this mixture. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the cooled beef and lentil mixture from the Instant Pot to the food processor. In batches, process this mixture until smooth. Then add to the large bowl with the chopped onion mixture. Mix well, then taste and add salt, if desired. Add the whisked egg and mix to combine.
- Using your hands, shape ¼ cup heaped of the mixture into a flat, round patty about 2 3/4 inches in diameter. Continue with the rest of the mixture. You will have around 20-22 patties. If you wish to freeze them, do so at this point.*
- Place the egg in a shallow bowl so that you can dip the kababs as you cook. Heat a large skillet, frying pan, or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Dip both sides of each patty into the egg wash. Place 3-5 patties in the pan and allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, using a spatula to turn them over. Be careful not to crowd them too much or it will be harder to turn them. Reduce heat as necessary.
- Remove from the pan, and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Repeat until you have finished pan-frying all the patties. Cook any leftover egg in the remaining oil and serve with the patties.
I use instant mashed potatoes at the end if the mixture is too wet it works brilliantly fir me.
Great tip. Thanks for sharing, Isabella!
Hi Izzah,
Sorry to correct you but, earlier in the recipe, you stated that this kebab got its name because it was eaten in the evening (shaam in Urdu).
Well, I was reading your friend Maryam’s blog (followed the link provided), who said in her blog: “Shami kebabs were brought to the subcontinent by Syrians (“Sham” refers to Syria in Urdu), some say as early as the 13th or 14th century”.
Thanks for bringing wonderful Pakistani recipes to us. May Allah bless you.
I stand corrected. 🙂 Always more to learn! Thanks for pointing that out. Will fix!
This recipe was great and loved it for a starting point. i did make some slight tweaks based on how i grew up eating these. I used whole beef instead of ground beef and added whole round peppers and chilli flakes (as i do enjoy it being a little spicier) but overall they turned out great and thank you for making it seem so simple !
You’re welcome, Maria! Thanks for sharing and I’m loving your modifications!
Love your blog and this recipe turned out so yummy the first time that I have kids requesting it again and again!
Wonderful to hear that your kids liked it, Kinjal! Thanks so much for your nice review!
This morning a brilliant! Would you recommend adding a mashed potato ? If so at what stage? Instant pot mix in stage?
I haven’t’ try adding mashed potatoes but I’d add it when you combine the meat and onion mixture!
Hi!! Going to attempt these this week. Is there anything you would recommend doing differently for chicken kababs?
Hi Samia! No change is needed. If you’re having trouble binding because of less fat, try adding an extra egg!
Hi there!
I am having trouble finding plain Chana dal packets. Would substituting mixed dal (Chana dal, masoor, moong, Urad, toor) be a bad idea? Thanks!
Hi Shereen. Not a bad idea…I think they’d be wonderful here. May change the flavor profile just a tad but they’ll still taste like shami!
Hello! I’m in the process of making this dish now and I’m excited to see how it turns out! I noticed what I think might be an error under the stove top directions. The ground (whole) spices are not mentioned yet in the insta pot directions it says to add the spices. I went ahead and put them in my Dutch oven along with the “to cook” ingredients being that they are not mentioned again anywhere in the recipe. Maybe this will help someone else? Thanks for sharing ????
You are right, Noreen. That’s an error on my part. Sorry about that and thank you very much for pointing it out! I’ve fixed now. Hope you enjoyed the recipe!
It was great! Thanks ????
1 tablespoon salt?
is that suppose to be 1 teaspoon?
i follow your recipes to the T so need clarification lol
hope u see this soon!
making it right now…hope u see this soon 😀
1 tbsp is correct! Thank you for trusting my recipes!
The taste was delish!
While eating though, it was crumbling up too easily… any idea what I could have done wrong?
Thank you! Hmm..seems like a dryness or fat content problem. Did you use lean ground beef?
Thank you Izzah! The kebabs turned out amazingly well. We wanted to make them for Ramadan but I think they will be gone before Ramadan starts.
Hahah Yay!! Thank you, Faisal.
Ok, I took a big shortcut and swapped the spices for a pack of shan masala, but used your technique. Everyone enjoyed it. This recipe makes a lot of kababs!
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes, especially the instant pot ones.
Smart! Thank you!
Where have you been all my life?!? I just discovered your. Blog and loving all the inspiration. You cook very similar to how I cook (and my mom does). Will be trying some recipes soon inshaAllah. Yaayy! Just need an instant pot to make my weekend meal preps easier. Cant wait to try the chicken pulao yum!!
Aww thanks so much! Makes my day to hear that. 🙂 Excited for you to try more recipes!
Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
quick substitute query: instead of lentils, can I sub in oats or some other ingredient? Unfortunately, I can’t digest lentils.
Hi Daniel, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say how it’ll affect the texture. However, it seems like a great idea to me because oats absorb liquid well and would hold up the kababs. If you do try oats, I’d love to hear about the results!
Can I use stew beef cubes?
Yes, you may, though I haven’t tried it. You will have to cook it longer (try the beef setting) and will need to add more water. Then just use a food processor to shred so that it still has texture. The directions in my ‘haleem’ recipe may help!
Tried this recipe with ground chicken and it was delish!! Awesome instructions and perfectly spiced kebobs. My entire family enjoyed these
If you love it, then it must be good because you’re the best at Instant Pot recipes! Thanks so much, Archana! I am honored!
This is exactly what I was looking for! Can’t wait to try this!
So glad to hear that, Nida! I hope you do!