
Bun Kabab (Karachi-Style Egg-Coated Beef Patty Burger with Mint Chutney)
A spiced beef and potato patty, dipped in egg and shallow-fried until golden, then tucked into a toasted bun with mint chutney, onion and tomato. It is the classic Karachi street-side snack, easy to make at home.
Ingredients
Equipment: Wide saucepan with lid, food processor or sturdy masher, non-stick frying pan or tawa, shallow bowl for the egg
Method
Put the mince, ginger-garlic paste, chopped green chillies, salt, red chilli, coriander, cumin, garam masala and 150 ml water in a wide saucepan. Break up the mince with a spoon, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat until the meat is completely tender.
Uncover, raise the heat to medium and stir until all the liquid has evaporated and the mince looks dry and crumbly. Leave it to cool for 10 minutes.
While the mince cools, blend the chutney: process the coriander, mint, 2 green chillies, yogurt, lemon juice and a pinch of salt with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon.
Grind the cooled mince in a food processor to a fine, sticky texture. Add the boiled potato, roasted gram flour, chopped coriander and mint, and pulse until it holds together when pressed. If it feels wet, add another spoonful of roasted gram flour.
Divide into 6 portions and shape into round patties about 10 cm wide and 1.5 cm thick, slightly larger than the buns because they shrink. Chill on a plate for 10 minutes so they firm up.
Beat the eggs with the black pepper and a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
Dip a patty in the egg on both sides, let the excess drip off, and lay it in the hot pan. Fry 3 to 4 patties at a time, about 3 minutes per side, until the egg coating is golden and the centre is piping hot (at least 71°C). Add oil between batches as needed and drain on paper towels.
Wipe the pan, melt the butter over medium heat and toast the cut sides of the buns for about 1 minute until lightly golden.
Spread ketchup on the bottom buns and chutney on the tops. Layer a patty, onion rings and tomato slices, close the bun and serve straight away.
Cooking tips
- Cook the mince until it is really dry. Extra moisture makes the patties crumble when you dip them in egg.
- Roasting the gram flour removes its raw taste and helps bind the mixture without making it heavy.
- Fry over medium heat, not high. The patty needs time to heat through before the egg coating darkens.
- For a street-style finish, add a fried egg on top of each patty or a spoonful of tamarind chutney.
Substitutions
- Use chicken mince instead of beef and cook it for 12 to 15 minutes only.
- Replace the gram flour with fine breadcrumbs if you have no besan, though the flavour will be milder.
- Use mayonnaise or garlic sauce in place of ketchup.
- Leave out the yogurt in the chutney and use extra lemon juice for a sharper, dairy-free version.
Serve with
["Serve hot with masala fries, sliced green chillies and a cold glass of lassi or a soft drink.","Cut the buns in half for a party platter."]
Storage
Keep cooked patties and chutney separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Uncoated shaped patties can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Reheating
Reheat patties in a lightly oiled pan over low-medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until steaming hot in the middle. Assemble with fresh buns and toppings.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Not shown for this recipe because it can’t be estimated reliably (for example, oil absorbed during deep frying varies a lot).
You might also cook
PakistaniChicken Biryani
Layers of long-grain basmati and a tangy, spiced chicken masala, steamed together until every grain stays separate. Made with potatoes and dried plums, the way many Karachi homes make it.
PakistaniChana Chaat
Tangy chickpea salad with potato, onion, tomato and tamarind chutney. The iftar favourite that works any afternoon.
PakistaniOnion & Potato Pakoras
Crisp gram-flour fritters with onion, potato and spinach. Made for rainy afternoons and a cup of chai.
PakistaniAloo Gobi (Dry-Style Potato and Cauliflower Masala)
A dry, gently spiced curry of potato and cauliflower with cumin, turmeric and fresh ginger. Easy to make in one pan and good with hot roti for a weekday lunch.
Pakistani kitchen
PakistaniMutton Chops Masala (Pressure-Cooked Lamb Chops in Thick Onion-Yogurt Masala)
Mutton chops are marinated, pressure-cooked until soft, then finished in a thick, glossy masala that clings to the bone. A good Sunday dinner with naan or rice.
Tawa Naan (Soft Yogurt Naan Cooked on a Griddle)
Soft, bubbly naan made with yogurt and milk, cooked on a hot tawa or in the oven. A dependable flatbread for karahi, daal and kababs, no tandoor needed.
PakistaniChicken Corn Soup
A thick, gently peppery soup of shredded chicken, sweet corn and silky egg ribbons, in the style of Pakistani Chinese restaurants. Easy to make at home on a cold evening.
Kulcha (Oven-Baked Yogurt Bread with Nigella and Sesame)
Soft, fluffy round breads made with yogurt and milk, topped with nigella and sesame and brushed with butter. They bake in a hot home oven and go well with chanay, daal or any curry.