Pakistan, India, Bangladesh – Traditional Beef Shami Kebabs

by Muhammad Usama

Introduction

Shami Kebab is also known as Shami Tikki. It is a very popular side dish in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh cuisines. The word shaami comes from sham which meanings are dinner or evening snacks. Basically sham is an Urdu/Hindi word that means evening or night. In Pakistan, there are almost all people who knew about that type of kebabs. Basically, Kebabs have many verities in which the Shami Kebab is one of them. It is not the main course but it has the main role in a side dish. In Pakistan, people serve these hot Kebabs in front of guests with some types of sauces or sliced onions. You can make it at your own home by tracing the recipe which is written below. It has three main phases and these phases are as follows:

Boiling the meat and other ingredients

It is the first stage of making shami kebabs. In this stage, we boiled beef meat, lentils, and other ingredients and spices in a wok. When the meat and yellow lentils are tender and water dries up so we are done with it.

Chopping Prepared Mixture

In the 2nd stage, we chopped the whole mixture in a blender until all ingredients and meat are fully chopped by adding boiled potatoes and boiled mixture.

Making and Fry on Pan

In the last step, we wet our hands and makes the equal size of kebabs from the chopped mixtures. Then fry them into a hot pan greasing with oil on the medium flame. Fry them until their color turns to golden brown from both sides.

Origin and History

Traditional Shami Kebabs are come from the Indian subcontinent and originated from Pakistan. It is a type of kebabs in which we use yellow lentils, generally use beef meat but sometimes we use goat or lamb meat instead of beef meat. Many people use whole eggs in this mixture for strong bonding while making. This shami kebab is eaten as an evening snack or for dinner as a side dish. In WestAsian countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Saudi Arabia, it is a very popular and common dish.

Serving

Serving hot Kebabs with a side salad or with some types of sauces, kinds of ketchup or you can also serve it with mint yogurt and sliced onions in front of your guests or your loved ones.

Ingredients

  • Boneless beef 600g
  •  (Split Bengal gram) 1 cup (soaked for 1 hour)
  •  (Onion) 1 medium
  •  (Ginger garlic paste) 1 & ½ tbs
  •  (Button-red chilies) 6-8
  •  (Cloves) 4-5
  •  (Black peppercorns) 1 tsp
  •  (Black cardamom) 2
  •  (Green cardamom) 2
  •  (Cinnamon sticks) 2
  •  (Cumin seeds) 1 & ½ tsp
  •  (Mace) 1
  •  (Bay leaf) 1
  •  (Salt) 1 & ½ tsp or to taste
  • Water 1 & ½ Cup or as required
  •  (Potato) boiled 1 medium
  •  (Onion) chopped 1 medium
  • Garam masala powder ¼ tsp
  •  (Red chili powder) 1 tsp or to taste
  •  (Green chili) chopped ½ tbs
  •  (Fresh coriander) chopped handful
  • Lemon juice 1 tbs
  • Cooking oil 2 tbs

Directions

Preparing mixture

  • First, take a pot place it on the stove at medium flame.
  • Then add boneless beef pieces, 1 cup split Bengal gram (soaked for 1 hour in water), 1 medium onion, ginger garlic paste, button red chilies, cloves black peppercorns, green cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cumin seed 1 tsp, one mace, one bay leaf, 1.5 tsp of salt or to taste and in last add 1 cup of water or as required.
  • Mix the whole ingredients well and cook on medium flame or bring it to boil.
  • Let’s cover the wok cook it on medium flame or until the meat is tender for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
  • After that uncover the wok and removes whole spices.
  • Then cool it on high flame until water dries up for approximately 3 minutes.
  • Dish out into the bowl and leave it for cool down.

Chop the mixture

  • Now take a blender add prepared beef mixture and boiled potatoes into the chopper and blend it well.
  • Now dish it out from the chopper to the bowl and add 1 chopped onion.
  • Then add Garam Masala powder, red chili powder to taste, chopped green chilies, fresh coriander, lemon juice into the bowl.
  • Mix with your hand until all ingredients and spices are well combined.

Making Shami kebab or Tikki

  • Let’s take a mashed mixture in your wet hand and make Shami kebab or Tikki (around 70g of mixture for each Kebab).
  • Each kebab will be equal in size and weight.
  • You can make 15 to 16 Kebabs from this quantity of mixture.

Frying Kebabs

  • Now for frying all kebabs take a frying pan add some oil for heat and place 2 to 3 kebabs at a time
  • Let’s fry them on medium flame and cooked from both sides.
  • Our delicious shami kebabs are ready to eat and serve.
  • Serve it to your family or your loved ones.
  • Enjoy the dish.

Nutritional Aspects

  • Calories: 223kcal
  • Fat: 9g(15%)
  • Proteins: 6g (9%)
  • Serving: 6 to 8 pieces

Time Required

  • PREP. TIME: 15 MINS
  • COOKING TIME: 10minutes
  • TOTAL TIME: ALMOST half HOUR Required

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