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Bihari kebab
Papaya-marinated beef strips
بہاری کباب (Bihari kebab): Karachi's thin beef strips marinated in raw papaya, mustard oil and spices, grilled and smoked
Migrants from Bihar who settled in Karachi after 1947 brought this kebab with them, and it has become one of the city's signature grills, served from the smoky stalls of Burns Road, Hussainabad and Boat Basin. Thin ribbons of beef are beaten flat, marinated with raw papaya paste to tenderise them, mustard oil, browned onion and a heady spice mix, then threaded onto skewers and grilled fast over coals, finished with a puff of charcoal smoke. They are soft enough to pull apart with your fingers and are eaten with paratha, sliced onion and mint chutney. Leaving the papaya on too long is the risk, because it keeps working and turns the meat mushy; four to six hours in the fridge is plenty. Chef's tip: slice the beef while it is half-frozen, across the grain, and you will get even, paper-thin strips with ease.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the beef
- 1 ½ lb beef sirloin or topsidesliced across the grain into thin strips, about 3 mm
- 2 tbsp raw green papaya pastepeeled, grated and pounded
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 ¾ oz fried onionscrushed to a paste
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp white poppy seeds (optional)toasted and ground
- 1 /2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For smoking and basting
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small piece of lump charcoal
To serve
- 1 onion (optional)sliced into rings
- 4 tbsp mint chutney (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Lay the beef strips between sheets of baking paper and beat them with a rolling pin until about 2 mm thick.
3 minStep 2: Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan until it just smokes, then let it cool completely.
3 minStep 3: Mix the cooled oil with 2 tbsp raw green papaya paste, 1 ¾ oz fried onions, 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp white poppy seeds, 1 /2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Rub it into 1 ½ lb beef sirloin or topside.
3 minStep 4: Cover and marinate in the fridge for 4–6 hours, no longer.
5 minStep 5: Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are glowing with a light ash, or an overhead grill to its highest setting. Thread the strips onto flat skewers in folds, like ribbon.
5 minStep 6: Grill for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes and basting with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, until browned and lightly charred at the edges and cooked through with no pink juices.
10 minStep 7: Pile the kebabs into a pot. Heat 1 small piece of lump charcoal on a gas flame until glowing, put it in a small foil cup in the middle of the meat, drizzle over 1 tbsp vegetable oil and cover tightly for 3 minutes to smoke. Do this in a well-ventilated kitchen and remove the coal before serving.
3 minStep 8: Serve hot with paratha, 1 onion and 4 tbsp mint chutney.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bihari kebab take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of fried onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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