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Beef Shami Kabab

Tender, flavorful, and packed with aromatic spices, these Shami Kababs are a classic Pakistani favorite made with beef and lentils. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, they make a perfect tea-time snack, appetizer, or freezer-friendly meal prep option for busy days.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Pressure cook 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Dish, Snacks
Cuisine Indian, Mughlai, Pakistani
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Ninja Foodi This recipe can also be made in an Instant Pot, electric pressure cooker, stovetop pressure cooker, or on the stovetop.
  • Meat Chopper
  • Mixing bowl
  • Frying Pan

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup Oil
  • 1000 g Beef boneless cubes 1000g / 2.2 lbs
  • ⅓ cup Ginger cut into small pieces
  • ⅓ cup Garlic cut into pieces
  • ⅓ cup Onions cut into small chunks
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 3 tsp Red chili powder
  • ¼ cup Split Bengal gram (Chana dal) (helps create texture and structure)
  • 9 Dried button red chilies Whole spice
  • 5 Black cardamom Whole spice
  • 5 Green cardamom Whole spice
  • 7 Cloves Whole spice
  • 5 Long pepper Whole spice
  • ½ tsp Black pepper whole spice
  • 2 inch Cinnamon stick Whole spice
  • 5 Cubeb pepper (Tailed Pepper or Kabab chini) Whole spice
  • 2 tsp Red chili flakes
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 2 Whole eggs (help bind the Kabab together)
  • ½ cup Yogurt Strained

Instructions
 

  • Cooking the Meat
  • Add oil to the inner pot of Ninja Foodi.
  • Add meat.
  • Add ginger, garlic and onions.
  • Add salt and red chili powder.
  • Add Split Bengal gram.
  • Add whole spices.
  • Mix well and level meat for even cooking.
  • No need to add water. Even after straining, the washed meat releases enough moisture for pressure cooking in Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot.
  • Pressure Cooking
  • Cover with pressure lid and pressure cook on High until the meat is tender, about 1 hour 40 minutes and release the pressure naturally.
  • Reducing the Moisture
  • After pressure cooking, open the lid and mix well.
  • Cover with glass lid and cook on saute mode over Medium-High.
  • Stir occasionally, cook until moisture dries out.
  • Turn off the heat and let it cool.
  • Grinding the Meat
  • Remove the whole spices, then grind the meat in small batches and transfer to a mixing bowl.
  • Preparing the Kabab Mixture
  • Add chili flakes to the ground mixture.
  • Add lemon juice.
  • Add eggs.
  • Add yogurt.
  • Mix well.
  • Shaping the Kababs
  • Lightly grease your hands with oil before shaping the kababs to prevent the mixture from sticking.
  • Shape the mixture into kababs.
  • Shallow Frying the Kababs
  • Heat a little oil in frying pan.
  • Shallow fry the kabab on medium heat until beautifully golden brown and crispy.
  • These kababs are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
  • Storage
  • Store unfried Shami Kababs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 day
  • Freezing
  • Freeze the shaped unfried kababs in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
    • Serving Suggestion:
    Pair with parathas, chapati, rice, sandwiches, burgers, or wraps for a versatile meal or snack.
    Don't have Whole Spices? No Problem!
    Even if you do not have the full list of whole spices, the recipe will still turns out delicious. The combination of meat, Chana Dal, onion, ginger, garlic, salt, chili powder, yogurt and eggs still creates flavorful and satisfying Shami Kababs. Use whichever whole spices are available for extra depth and aroma.
Keyword Beef Kabab, Beef Recipe, Desi Recipes, Eid Recipes, Freezer Friendly, High Protein, Indian Food, Kabab Recipe, Make Ahead, Meal Prep, Mughlai Cuisine, Pakistani Food, Ramadan Recipes, Shami Kabab, Snack Recipe, Tea Time Snack