A popular street food, especially in the city of Karachi, the bun kabab is a delicious vegetarian burger. A spiced potato and lentil patty is dipped in egg and fried till crispy on a large griddle called a 'tawa.' Soft, slightly sweet buns are often warmed on the same griddle, soaking up the grease. The kababs are placed on the buns and topped with tamarind dipping sauce, cilantro mint chutney, and onions.
The original bun kabab, which is believed to have been created by Haji Abdul Razzak in 1953, served as an affordable and nutritious lunch for the busy workforce of a rapidly growing city. Three generations and 69 years later, the original street stall created by Haji Razak still stands on Burns Road in Karachi.
In addition to this, there's a street stall selling bun kabab on virtually every corner of the country. Each vendor has his unique and delicious recipe for the patty, chutneys, and toppings.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Affordable - This bun kabab recipe is easy on the wallet, with potatoes and lentils as the main ingredients. Not only does this make an affordable weeknight meal, but its popularity makes it a great addition to a menu when entertaining.
- Filling - The combination of potatoes and lentils makes this a hearty and filling meal.
- Vegetarian - Bun kabab is a great option for vegetarians or to serve as part of a vegetarian option on a menu.
- Customizable - It's so easy to customize this recipe. Use a shami kabab to make a meat version, omit the egg coating and make it vegan, and use gluten-free bread to adapt to your diet.
Ingredient notes
- Chana dal (split chickpea) - The best lentil for the bun kabab is chana dal (split chickpea). Since it has a firm texture, it keeps the kabab from breaking.
- Potato buns - Authentic street-style bun kebabs are made with soft and slightly sweet buns. I use potato buns because the taste and texture are similar to the buns from home.
- Potatoes - It's best to use Idaho(Russet) potatoes for this bun kabab recipe. Due to their high starch content, they're easy to mash to a smooth consistency without lumps.
- Chaat Masala - I like to add a little bit of chaat masala to the mashed potato and lentil mixture right at the end and also sprinkle some on my patty just before serving the bun kabab. Its tangy taste adds to the flavor of the kabab, which tends to be a little bland unless spiced well.
- Amchur Powder - Amchur powder is dried mango powder with a tart citrus-like taste. This is added to the kabab mixture near the end for added flavor.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Try a meat version - Use shami kabab for a meat version of these bun kabab.
- Add a cooked egg on top - Fry a thin omelet or cook a fried egg and then top the potato lentil patty with it.
- Switch up the toppings - Add sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and even chopped cabbage for a different taste to your bun kabab or burger.
- Use a different condiment - Use just one type of chutney, try ketchup, or use any other variety of your favorite store-bought condiment for a change.
- Make Sliders - Use small buns and patties to make sliders instead of large bun kababs.
Step-by-step instructions
Prepare the potatoes
- Step one - Since potatoes and lentils are different in consistency, I like to prep them separately. Peel and chop the potatoes, trying to keep the pieces as equal in size as possible.
- Step two - Add the potatoes to a saucepan and just enough water to cover them. Cover and cook on high till the water reaches a boiling point. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are done, about 20 minutes.
- Step three - Drain the water and return the potatoes to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes while they are still hot, making the job easier.
- Step four - Add some salt and black pepper and mash till there are no lumps in the potatoes.
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Finish the lentils
- Step five - Soak the lentils overnight and add them to a saucepan with the onions, ginger, garlic, spices, and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium.
- Step six - Cook till you have just an inch of water left. If the lentils still need more time, cover the saucepan with some foil, then the lid, and reduce the heat to its lowest setting. The rest of the cooking will be done via steam.
- Step seven - Once the lentils are done, add them to a food processor and puree them to a fine mixture.
- Step eight - Add this mixture to the mashed potatoes and mix to make the kababs.
Assemble the kababs
- Step nine - The kabab mixture is ready once everything is uniform in color and texture. Make sure to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Step ten - Form the kabab by hand and ensure no cracks. Keep a bowl of warm water to help with this as needed.
- Step eleven - Beat the eggs and dip the kababs in this liquid mixture before adding them to your frying pan. This will give them a slightly crispy coating and prevent them from breaking.
- Step twelve - Ensure the oil is pre-heated well and fry for about 30 seconds on each side. Just enough to brown and crisp the egg mixture.
Expert Tips
- Boil the lentils and potatoes separately - Lentils and potatoes both have a different texture and, as such, require different cooking times. As such, it's best to cook them separately so the bun kabab turns out perfect.
- Dry all the liquid from the lentils - Any water remaining in the cooked lentils will make the final mashed mixture soggy. This will make it difficult to form the kabab without cracka and breakage. Ensure all water evaporates from the lentils before pureeing them in the food processor.
- Don't overcook the lentils - The lentils should be cooked through but not too soft. Once again, the correct texture is important to prevent the patties from cracking.
- Mash the potatoes by hand - Potatoes can get a little slimy if they're overworked. For this reason, I mash them by hand and mix them with the lentils separately and not in the food processor.
Recipe FAQS
The most likely reason for this is that your kabab mixture still has too much liquid. The best way to dry the mixture is to add some besan (chickpea flour). Add one tablespoon to begin with, as chickpea flour absorbs a lot of water, and the kabab can get too dry if too much is added. Adjust the seasoning if necessary once your mixture has the correct texture.
The potato and lentils will crisp up on their own, but if you want a little extra help, sprinkle some cornflour on both sides of the patties. Make sure to preheat the oil and then cook the patties on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side to get a brown and crispy exterior.
The kabab can stay in the fridge for 2-3 days or be frozen for up to 6 months. To freeze, lay the prepped kabab flat on a tray and put the tray in the freezer. Once the kababs are completely frozen, remove them and place them in a sealed Ziploc bag. When you're ready to use them, defrost in the fridge overnight, dip in the egg and fry.
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For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Bun Kabab
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Chana dal (lentils) (see notes)
- 2 potatoes (see notes)
- ½ cup chopped onion (see notes)
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp amchur powder (see notes)
- 2 tsp chaat masala (see notes)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cooking oil
- 1 onion sliced
- ยผ cup tamarind chutney (see notes)
- ยผ cup cilantro mint chutney (see notes)
- 8 buns (see notes)
Instructions
- Soak the lentils overnight (optional)
- Peel and dice the potatoes into equal-sized pieces and put in a saucepan with just enough water to cover the potatoes till cooked through.
- Once they're cooked, discard the water, mash the potatoes until there are no lumps, and season them with salt and black pepper.
- Strain the soaked lentils, discard the water, and add the lentils to a saucepan. Chop the ยฝ onion and add it to the lentils.
- Add the ginger, and garlic paste, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and cook till there is only 1 inch of water left.
- Cover the saucepan with foil and steam the lentils for 10 minutes on the lowest heat setting till they are cooked through.
- Once done, place the lentil mixture in a food processor, and pulse till it's mashed.
- Mix the mashed lentils and potatoes next, and add the amchur powder and 1 teaspoon of the chaat masala at this point.
- Once you have a uniform mixture, start shaping your patties, using water to help you seal any cracks.
- Beat the eggs in a shallow dish.
- Heat the oil in a large, wide frying pan.
- Once the oil is well heated, dip the patties in the egg mixture and shallow fry on medium heat till they're light brown on each side
- Slice the buns and place them on the pan to heat (see notes).
- Assemble the bun kebabs with the patties, two chutneys, sliced onions, and whatever else you wish to add.
Notes
- Lentils - The lentils used in this recipe are known as chana dal, split chickpeas, or split Bengal grams. Soaking these overnight is optional, but it helps reduce flatulence associated with eating lentils and cooks them more quickly. If you're short of time, the recipe can be cooked without the soaking.
- Potatoes - I used two large Idaho potatoes for this recipe, roughly 2 cups once cooked and mashed. Also known as russet potatoes, these are high in starch and are good for mashing. Ensure there are no lumps in the potatoes to shape your kababs properly.
- Onions - A half-medium yellow onion cooked with the lentils helps give them flavor and softens them so that the kababs are not too dry or bland. Once ready to eat, the remaining onion can be used as a topping for the final bun kabab.
- Amchur - A popular seasoning in South Asian cooking made from dried mango. A powder that is slightly tangy in taste, it tastes exceptionally delicious when added to vegetables. This added flavor is much needed in this recipe since both lentils and potatoes are bland. Adding it to the lentil and potato mixture at the end is best to get the most from its flavor.
- Chaat masala - A unique spice blend with a slightly funky smell, added at the end to the kababs. The taste is tangy, spicy, sour, sweet, and salty. This is a spice blend South Asians add to almost every snack they eat. I suggest adding it to the lentil and potato mixture as you form the patties and sprinkling it on at the end just before serving. I love adding a dash to my bun kabab as a final touch of flavor.
- Chutneys - I suggest using my recipes for my tamarind dipping sauce and my cilantro mint chutney, but you can use your favorite chutney recipe or buy a store-bought chutney to save time.
- Buns - I like to use potato buns as they are soft and slightly sweet, like the bun kabab buns I remember enjoying in Pakistan. Once I've fried all the kababs, I discard the excess oil in the pan and heat the buns in the remaining grease. This gives them an authentic street food taste.
Omar M
Simply superb and the sliders paired so well with the suggested chutneys. I was only sorry that I had one mouth, couldn't consume fast enough!
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Thank You Omar! Glad you liked them!