Spiced ground beef seekh kebabs shaped into patties and griddled, then stacked in a bun with mint chutney and pickled onions.
Seekh kebabs are traditionally hand-molded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal, a street food staple across Pakistan flavored with a heavy hand of ginger, garlic, green chile and garam masala worked into ground beef or lamb. This burger takes that same well-seasoned mince and shapes it into patties instead of skewers, which makes it far easier to cook on a home stovetop or grill while keeping every bit of the smoky, spiced flavor seekh kebabs are known for. The key to a seekh kebab that holds together, whether on a skewer or as a patty, is working the mince by hand until it turns slightly sticky and pastelike -- this binds the meat without needing egg or breadcrumbs, and gives the finished kebab its dense, juicy bite. A pinch of roasted gram flour (besan) helps absorb extra moisture from the onion and keeps the patties from falling apart on the grill. Served in a bun with mint-cilantro chutney and quick pickled onions, this burger swaps the usual skewer presentation for something easier to eat in one hand, while keeping the char-grilled, heavily spiced character that makes seekh kebabs a favorite from Karachi to Lahore.
Serves 4
In a bowl, combine ground beef, grated onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chiles, gram flour, garam masala, chile powder, cumin, cilantro and salt. Knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture turns sticky and slightly pale.
The mixture should feel tacky and hold together when pressed -- that stickiness is what keeps the patties from crumbling on the grill.
Divide into 4 portions and shape into patties about 1 inch thick. Chill 15 minutes if the mixture feels loose.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook patties 4 to 5 minutes per side until well charred on the outside and cooked through, reaching 160°F (71°C) internally.
In the last minute, toast the cut sides of the buns in the same pan to pick up some of the kebab drippings.
Spread mint chutney on both bun halves, add the patty, top with pickled onion, and serve immediately.
Squeeze the grated onion dry in a clean towel before mixing it in -- excess moisture is the main reason kebab patties fall apart.
Roasted gram flour (besan) is worth seeking out at a South Asian grocery; it binds without the raw-flour taste of regular flour.
Let the cooked patties rest 2 minutes before assembling so the juices redistribute instead of soaking straight through the bun.
Lamb version: substitute ground lamb for beef for a richer, more traditional seekh kebab flavor.
Skewer style: shape the mixture around flat metal skewers and grill over high heat, turning often, for the classic presentation.
No-bun plate: serve the patties over rice or with naan instead of a burger bun, alongside extra chutney and sliced cucumber.
Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Raw shaped patties can be frozen between parchment layers for up to 2 months.
Seekh kebabs trace back to Mughal-era grilling traditions carried through Central and South Asia, and remain one of the most common street foods in Pakistani cities, traditionally cooked over charcoal on flat metal skewers rather than as patties.
Yes, though chicken kebabs are more delicate -- add an extra tablespoon of gram flour to help the leaner meat hold together.
A tablespoon of breadcrumbs works as a substitute binder, though it won't add quite the same nutty flavor.
This is almost always excess moisture from the onion or not kneading the mixture long enough -- squeeze the onion dry and knead until the mince feels sticky before shaping.
Per serving (300g / 10.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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