Bun Kababs -One my most favorite street food of Karachi. I always feel that the only draw back of moving to Qatar(for me that is) is that I can’t find the Karachi street food here. Although the Pakistani food scene has gotten much better than it was, when I came to Doha, 13 years ago.. but still, they are not even close to the real deal. So I have learnt to make my favorites at home..

Here is one recipe that is very close to the ‘thelay wala’ bunkabab, we get in Karachi. The recipe is a combination of various recipes I came across and adjusted  according to my own tastebuds.

Bun Kababs

Makes approximately 12 Bun Kababs   Download Recipe Card

Ingredients:

For the Kababs

• 1 Cup Channa Daal (Soaked overnight)
• 2 Potatoes (Medium or 1 big)
• 1 Small Onion
• 5-6 Red Whole Dried Chillies (Sabut Lal Mirch)
• 2-8 Cloves (Laung)
• 10 Whole Black pepper corns (Sabut Kalimirch)
• 1 -2 tsp. Cumin Seeds (Zeera) 
• 1 Big Cardamom (Bari Illaichi)
• 1- 2 tsp Salt
• 2-3 Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 inch piece of Ginger
• 2 Cup Water
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1 tsp Chaat Masala Powder
• 2 Green Chillies (chopped)
• 2 -3 tsp Fresh Coriander Leaves (haradhanya -chopped)

For Bun Kababs

• 2 Eggs
• Oil
• 12 Bread Buns
• Chutneys (I mix and match my basic chutneys, that you can find here)

Directions:

1. Boil the potatoes with 1/2 tsp salt and then mash them.
2. Boil the daal with ginger, garlic, onions, red chillies, black pepper corns, cloves, cumin seeds, big cardamom and salt in 2 cups of water.
3. Boil the daal on low-medium flame (covered) and when it is soft enough (TIP- it can be squashed easily but still holds its shape when you look at it), that is when you increase the flame and dry the extra water.
4. When it cools down, grind it finely. Add the boiled and mashed potatoes, chaat masala, garam masala powder, chopped green chillies and coriander. Adjust the salt at this point.
5. Make kababs of this mixture… it approximately would make 12 kababs about (2.5 inches in diameter)
6. Beat the eggs and sprinkle salt an deeper in it. Coat the kababs in the egg and shallow fry them till they turn golden brown.
7. Now in the same pan, add a few drops of oil and fry/toast the buns (both sides)
8. Now assemble.. I put the tamarind + green chutney on both sides, put the fried kabab (and spread it a little with my finger tips), then add the green chutney raita, tomatoes, onion rings, a few drops of ketchup and sprinkle some chat masala on top before adding more raita and covering with the top part of the bun.

   

   

9. Fry the assembled bun kabab again in the pan, in a few drops of oil and press it a little (so things don’t fall off, while eating). Cut the bun kabab into half and serve with chutney /raita/ ketchup and of course some coke!

So here is how I had it.. perfect for any weather!

NEVER have I ever, drooled so much while writing a post! I am making this again tomorrow for sure!

You can visit my Recipe Book for more recipes.