Easy Shami Kebab (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
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!
“This recipe turned out so yummy the first time that I have kids requesting it again and again!”
Kinjal
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 (dal/daal), 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 Kebab
Shami kebabs were actually brought to South Asia by the Syrians. In Urdu, the word “Sham” refers to ‘Syria’. Eventually, they were picked up and popularized in Mughlai cuisine.
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
Yes! You can keep the mixture (either shaped or as-is) covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
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.
Yes. Preheat the air-fryer to 400°F. Spray the bottom of the air fryer with cooking spray. Place the egg-washed kababs on the greased tray and air fry at 400°F for 6-7 minutes on each side.
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.
I leave them out at room temperature until slightly thawed. If I’m in a hurry (which is often), I’ll defrost them in the microwave before I pan-fry. If you’re afraid they’ll break, you can also skip thawing and pan-fry straight from frozen on low-medium heat. Coat in egg and cook for an extra 1-2 minutes per side.
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. See below on using beef chunks instead of ground.
Using Beef Stew Meat vs Ground Meat
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 and that’s what I typically use. I hope to try it with beef ‘boti’ sometime and I’ll update you when I do.
The main difference will be an increase in cooking time (typically 45 min in the Instant Pot). You will also have to run the beef stew pieces in the food processor first, similar to haleem.
Update: I tried this recipe with beef stew meat (beef boti). While they were easier to dry, I found them to be a bit ‘meatier’ in taste when using the same ratio. If you’d like to use it, it’s a 100% doable with this recipe. I plan to try again and give updated instructions & possibly a tweaked beef boti/chana dal ratio if using beef stew pieces.
More Tips and Notes
- 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. If you feel the mixture is too wet, try sautéing longer than you think you need to. If you have time, refrigerate overnight the mixture overnight after allowing it to cool. Lastly, if it’s still not holding up, try adding breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
- This recipe requires the chana dal (yellow split peas) to be soaked for at least 1 hour. Soaking longer (up to overnight) is even better, but I’ve found that however long you soak, a few bits of lentils are bound to remain in tact. (Another great recipe using this dal is my Instant Pot Pakistani Chana Dal.)
How to Serve
When it comes to serving, Shami Kabab are incredibly versatile. Here are a few ideas:
- Serve alone with hot and sour sauce, ketchup, or chutney of choice. (Preferably along with chai!)
- Use as a patty for burgers (aka ‘bun kebab’) or sandwiches.
- Serve with Kachumber Salad, or fresh, crunchy vegetables chopped up with a bit of salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Serve as side along with pulao or naan along with chutney or raita.
More Sides & Snacks
Easy Shami Kebab (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 whole cloves
- 1 tsp toasted or regular cumin seeds
To Cook
- 1.5 lb (680 g) ground beef, (preferably full-fat)
- 1 cup (195 g) chana dal (yellow split peas), washed and soaked for at least 1 hour (up to overnight), then drained
- 3/4 cup water for Instant Pot or 4 1/2 cups water for stovetop
- 1 (~210-270 g) medium to large onion, roughly chopped
- 8-10 garlic cloves, leave whole – will be crushed later
- 1 1/2 inch (1 1/2 tbsp) piece ginger, minced or crushed
- 1 medium bay leaf
- 1/2-1 Tbsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2-3 tsp kosher salt – See note 3, will need less if using regular table salt or sea salt
- 1/2 tsp chaat masala, optional
To Chop
- 1 (~80 g) small onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 thai or Serrano green chili pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2-1/3 cup cilantro leaves
- 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’ to 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. (No need to more water than indicated even though it looks dry.)
- 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 Sauté – High setting.
- Sauté, stirring often, for 20 minutes, or until all the moisture has evaporated and the mixture starts sticking to the bottom. (See Note 1) Press Cancel to turn off the Instant pot and allow to cool. If you have the time, refrigerate overnight and they'll be even easier to shape. Remove the bay leaf.
Stovetop Instructions
- In a medium, lightweight Dutch oven or pot, add all of the ingredients listed under 'To Cook' along with the freshly ground spices and 4 1/2 cups of water. Mix well to combine. Cover to 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 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on thickness of your pot), stirring occasionally, until the chana dal (yellow split peas) is completely cooked. During the last 15-20 minutes, stir frequently to completely evaporate any moisture. The mixture will start sticking to the bottom of the pan. (See Note 1) Turn off the heat and allow to cool. If you have the time, refrigerate overnight and they'll be even easier to shape. Remove the bay leaf.
After Cooking
- Combine the onion, green chili pepper, 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 to the food processor. In batches, process this mixture until as smooth as possible (~1 min). Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the chopped onion mixture. Mix well, then taste and add salt, if desired. Add the whisked egg and mix to combine.
- Using oiled 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 patties. If you wish to freeze them, do so at this point. (See Note 2)
- 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.
78 Comments on “Easy Shami Kebab (Instant Pot and Stovetop)”
Can i substitue egg?
I haven’t tried myself but you could certainly try a flax egg as a sub!
AoA Izzah – turns out goat meat works great too 🙂
Also, I doubled the recipe – would you suggest using 2 eggs or 1?
Thanks again for this!
Sorry for the delayed response! I’d suggest 2 for doubling! Hope you enjoy 🙂
MY KEBABS CAME OUT GREAT. THANK YOU.
Thank you, Nadiya!
AoA Izzah,
Can I use goat meat for this? I once used lamb and it turned out great but goat I wasn’t too sure about, so thought to check.
Wonderful recipe Masha’Allah – as are all of your recipes!
W.S! Thank you so much! I haven’t tried goat but I don’t see why you couldn’t use it as long as you like the taste!
AOA, I want to make with chicken, will taht require any recipe adjustment? 2nd, is there a subsstitute for an egg? My wife is allergic to it.
So I’ve heard from others who’ve made it with chicken successfully by using an extra egg. 😅 I think you could try using a flax egg or extra breadcrumbs. One tip is to try using chicken tenders instead of ground. Maybe they’ll hold up better because they’ll be stringy, the way beef stew would be.
I got distracted and included the onions in the pot with the daal and beef. Any saving this batch?
Hi Mel, the onion does go in the pot with them (under To Cook). Doesn’t seem you did anything wrong. And if you added the To chop onion, that should be fine too..just more onion in the batch 🙂
I love your recipes but this one didn’t work for me. I used my IP and did it exactly. It wouldn’t come to pressure so I added bits of info extra water, twice. When it finally came to pressure and cooked the mixture was wet (extra water I had to add to make it come to pressure). Now I have a bit wet mess that smells amazing. Not sure what happened with the IP but I can see how delicious these will be if the IP had pressurized with the quantity of water in the recipe. Thank you fir great recipes.
Uh oh. Sorry to hear that, Lyla! I’m not sure what could have gone wrong. Maybe not enough moisture already in the meat. I would move it over to the stovetop and saute it down, then let it rest overnight in the fridge before shaping. I hope you’re able to make use of it and make the kebabs.
This is such an excellent recipe! I’ve made shami kebabs thrice now and each time they work perfectly. The only thing I’ve found is that 1 tbsp salt is a bit too much for us so I’ve reduced it to 1/2 tbsp. Other than that I follow it to the letter. Thanks, Izzah, for a foolproof recipe that has been so well explained.
Thank you so much, Hinna! I’m so happy you find it so reliable :).
Very easy and detailed recipe with breakdown of steps. Can you please mention serving size for Nutritional calculations please.
Thank you, Mariyam! It’s for each kebab, assuming 20 shami kebabs.
Hi there,
These are delicious and I make them fairly regularly BUT I can’t seem to keep the kababs together. They always end up super soft and break and we end up putting that on our buns like sloppy joe. I manage to bind them on top and bottom because of the eggs but the sides look uncooked (of course they aren’t uncooked – just looks that way) and so they break. I follow your recipe exactly as written. Can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. Please advice. Thanks.
Hello! I’m sorry to hear they aren’t holding up. This is most likely because of the moisture content in the ground beef. I’d suggest sauteing it longer than you think you need to, especially if you’re using the IP since IPs are not the best for sauteing/bhunai. Also, try let it cool and refrigerate overnight before proceeding with the recipe. Lastly, if it’s still not holding up, try adding breadcrumbs to absorb moisture. I think these tips will solve the issue! Let me know if you have any more questions!
I did leave them overnight but I’ll sautéing a bit longer. I do get impatient 🙂
Thanks!