Authentic Pakistani Kebabs: Essential Starter Recipe for Flavourful Grilled Delights

Introduction to this Pakistani Kebab Recipe

Pakistani kebabs are a culinary treasure, celebrated for their bold flavours, tender texture, and irresistible aroma. These grilled delights are a staple in Pakistani cuisine, often served as appetisers, party starters, or even main courses. Whether you’re hosting a festive gathering or simply craving a flavourful snack, Pakistani kebabs are the perfect choice to elevate any meal. Made with a blend of aromatic spices, fresh herbs, and high-quality meat, these kebabs are a testament to the rich culinary heritage of Pakistan.

What sets Pakistani kebabs apart is their versatility and depth of flavour. From the smoky Seekh Kebabs to the succulent Chapli Kebabs, each variety offers a unique taste experience that’s hard to resist. The secret lies in the marinade—a harmonious mix of spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala, combined with garlic, and ginger to tenderise the meat and infuse it with flavour. Grilled to perfection, these kebabs are juicy on the inside and slightly charred on the outside, creating a perfect balance of textures.

In this article, we’ll take you through the essential steps to make authentic Pakistani kebabs at home. You’ll learn about the key ingredients, marinating techniques, and grilling tips to ensure your kebabs turn out perfectly every time. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a beginner, this guide will help you master the art of making kebabs that are bursting with flavour and authenticity. So, fire up your grill, gather your spices, and get ready to create a dish that’s sure to impress your family and friends.

Pakistani kebabs are delicious and succulent. Pakistani cuisine boasts of many different types of kebabs, each with its own unique flavours and preparation methods. Kebabs in Pakistan are enjoyed as starters, snacks, or as part of the main course. They are often pan fried or grilled. The pan fried option for me definitely adds the most taste, as what doesn’t taste good without the additional of a bit of oil! However, this kebab recipe can be made in a range of different ways, depending on how healthy or unhealthy you want to be, the choice is yours!

Why are Pakistani kebabs so popular

I always loved kebabs growing up. My mum would often make Pakistani kebab sandwiches or kebab pitta bread pockets for us. They were just so tasty! They would be lovely thin kebab slices, which she would griddle them , I still remember the griddle lines, giving that slightly smoky flavour. It’s really a matter of personal preference as to how thick you want your kebabs. Obviously if you make thinner kebabs, you will be able to make a bigger batch.

Kebabs are great to make when entertaining. You marinate the mince, leave it in the fridge until you want to make your kebabs. If you have space in your fridge, you could even make the patties and put them on trays, ready to oven bake, grill or transfer to the frying pan. Depending on how you would like to cook them.

Pakistani kebabs are great on a barbeque. In our family we all make them into burgers, a bit of salad and a slice and cheese and everyone is happy to go. I make the patties a bit thicker when barbequing, just for this burger effect.

I recently made these kebabs and my sister took some home. Even when cold, when she opened her Tupperware container, the aroma of the kebabs was still amazing. Her son now asks my mum to make masi’s (maternal aunt’s) kebabs. So I had to send my mum the link to my website! Who would have ever thought!

My Pakistani kebab recipe

My kebabs are a close match to Seekh Kebabs, without the need of cooking on skewers. This Pakistani kebab recipe is therefore easier to cook, without the risk of the kebabs falling off skewers. The mince falling off skewers has happened to me many a time, especially on the barbeque!

When making this Pakistani kebab recipe, it’s important to squeeze out any extra liquid from the potatoes. Otherwise the kebabs will have too much liquid and will fall apart. I therefore squeeze out the extra liquid using kitchen roll paper. The Worcestershire sauce is really the secret ingredient to this recipe, so do not miss it out! It really compliments the lamb mince beautifully and amplifies the flavours.

This Pakistani kebab recipe is an easy starter to prepare. You can bake them in the oven, leaving you free to prepare other dishes on the hob. However, if you do shallow fry them, like most things fries, it does add to the flavour of the meat. These kebabs compliment my matar pilau recipe too, serve with some tomato chutney and you have a lovely meal.

I also like to make these kebabs and freeze them. You can freeze them for up to three months. They come in really handy to whip out when you need them. For me they are my go to when I have been out of the house all day, go straight to pick the kids up from school and realise I have nothing prepared for dinner. Defrosting the kebabs in the microwave is quick and easy. A bit of pitta bread to make kebab pitta pockets or chapati, which the kids make into a wrap and everyone is happy and fed.

Grilled kebabs starter for Ramadan

I like to make these Pakistani kebabs in preparation of Ramadan (Islamic holy month of fasting). It’s so helpful to have something ready to eat on those days when you might be feeling tired. They also make a great starter if you are hosting iftari (Ramadan dinner, breaking the fast). You can make these kebabs and freeze them until you the day you want to cook them. Allow them to thaw out in the fridge overnight. Then warm in the microwave and serve with some refreshing mint chutney.

Conclusion

Pakistani kebabs are a dish that’s as rich in flavour as it is in cultural significance. Their bold spices, tender meat, and smoky aroma make them a standout recipe that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or simply treating yourself to a flavourful meal, these kebabs are sure to impress.

Now that you’ve learned all about Pakistani kebabs, it’s time to put your skills to the test. Try this recipe at home and experience the magic of South Asian cuisine for yourself. Don’t forget to share your creations with us and let us know how it turned out! For more delicious recipes, cooking tips, and culinary inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter and join our community of food lovers. Happy cooking!

See my video on Instagram or TikTok to see how to make this dish!

Ingredients

10 minutes preparation, 10 minutes cooking time

Makes 20-25 kebabs

• 1kg mince lamb (mince chicken, beef and mutton also works well)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 teaspoons ground of coriander
• 1 heaped teaspoon of garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of paprika
• Fresh juice of half a lemon
• 4 green chillies, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons of fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 medium potato grated (make sure you squeeze out excess water from the gratings)
• 1 1/2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of Worcester sauce

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Let the mince lamb marinate for as long as possible, ideally overnight. The longer the marination, the better the flavour.

2. Use a baking tray, line with foil or baking paper if it isn’t non stick. Then grab a medium handful of the mince and make a patty shape, add onto a baking tray . (As I use the Scoville baking trays, I don’t need to line the trays). You can place the patty’s quite close together, as they when the bake, they will shrink slightly. No need to worry about them sticking together.

3. Once the baking tray is filled, cook in the oven on 180 C fan assisted heat for 10 minutes, until cooked through. (The kebabs can also be shallow fried. Fry on each side of the kebab for 3-4 minutes. You can also grill them, grill on each side for 5 minutes).