Bun Kebab
بن کباب
Bun kebab is Karachi's own burger: a soft bun, a spicy lentil and potato patty fried in an egg coat on a big , and a stack of chutney and onion. This is the classic daal version sold from carts all over the city. The patty needs boiled chana daal cooked until dry and mashed with potato, and the egg dip goes on right before frying so it crisps into a lacy golden jacket.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 20 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 50 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Drain the soaked chana daal and put it in a with the potatoes, water, , chili flakes, cumin and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 25–30 minutes, until the daal crushes easily between your fingers.
Uncover, turn the heat to high and stir constantly for 4–6 minutes until every bit of water has dried off and the mixture starts to stick to the bottom. It must be completely dry, or the patties will fall apart.
Tip the mixture into a bowl while still warm and mash it to a smooth, thick paste with a masher or the back of a spoon. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then mix in the garam masala, chopped onion, green chilies, coriander and mint.
Divide the mixture into 8 portions and shape each into a flat round patty about 1 cm thick, slightly wider than you want it in the bun. Beat the eggs in a shallow dish.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil on a over medium heat. Dip a patty in the egg to coat both sides and lay it on the tawa; repeat with 3 more. Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until the egg sets into a golden, lacy crust. Drizzle a little extra egg around the edges for the crisp bits street sellers love. Repeat with the rest.
Split the buns, spread the cut sides lightly with butter and toast them face down on the tawa for about 1 minute, until golden and warm.
Spread green chutney on the bottom half of each bun and on the top. Add a patty, a few onion rings and cucumber slices, close and press lightly. Serve hot.
Kitchen notes
Dry the daal mixture completely before mashing. Any leftover moisture makes soft patties that break in the egg and on the tawa.
Add the raw onion only after the mixture has cooled a little, and chop it very fine. Large pieces stop the patties from holding together.
Dip each patty in egg just before it goes on the tawa. If they sit in the egg, the coating slides off.
Karachi’s street burger
Bun kebab has been sold from carts and small stalls in Karachi for generations, long before burger chains arrived. The seller works over a huge tawa, dipping patties in egg, toasting buns in butter and building each one with chutney and onion in a few seconds. It is cheap, filling and eaten at any hour, from a quick lunch to a late-night snack, and Lahore and other cities have their own versions.
A patty that holds together
The daal patty is simple, but it only works if the mixture is dry. Chana daal and potato are boiled with the spices until soft, then the lid comes off and the heat goes up until every bit of liquid has evaporated. Mashed while warm, the mixture turns into a thick paste that shapes easily. The egg coat is what makes it a bun kebab: it fries into a crisp, golden, slightly ragged shell that holds the soft patty together and soaks up the chutney.
The chutneys
Karachi bun kebab is all about the chutney. The green one is usually mint and coriander blended with green chilies and a little yogurt; the brown one is sweet-sour . Raw onion rings add bite, and some stalls add sliced cucumber, cabbage or a spoon of ketchup.
Make-ahead and storing
The daal mixture keeps for 2 days in the fridge, and shaped patties freeze well. Fry them in egg only when you are ready to eat, since reheated egg coating goes rubbery. Toast the buns fresh for each round.
Questions people ask
Can I make bun kebab with mince?
Yes. Many Karachi stalls use a mix of beef mince and chana daal, boiled together and ground like a shami kebab. Use 250 g mince with the same amount of daal and skip the potatoes.
Can I freeze the patties?
Yes. Freeze the shaped, uncoated patties on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months. Thaw for 20 minutes, dip in egg and fry as usual.
What is anda wala bun kebab?
It is the same bun kebab with an extra fried egg or thin omelette added inside, a favourite for a bigger meal. Fry a beaten egg flat on the tawa and fold it on top of the patty.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 625
- Protein
- 22 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 85 g
