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+ servings
beef bihari kabab on metal skewers topped with onions and lemons resting on brown parchment paper.
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5 from 3 votes

Bihari Kabab

Bihari Kabab are thin tenderloin strips marinated in a unique blend of spices, tenderized overnight, cooked and then smoked using lit charcoal
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
marinating time12 hours
Total Time14 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani
Keyword: beef bihari boti, beef bihari kebab, bihari boti, North Indian Bihari Kabab
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 613kcal

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup avocado oil (see notes)
  • 1 ¼ lbs tenderloin strips (see notes)
  • ½ onion (see notes)
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • ½ tbsp green chili paste
  • ½ kiwi (see notes)
  • 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt
  • ½ tbsp gram flour (besan) (see notes)
  • 1 charcoal
  • 1 tbsp oil

Whole Spice Mix

  • ½ tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
  • ½ tbsp nutmeg (jaiphal)
  • 1 tbsp mace (javitri)
  • 1 tbsp star anise (badiyan ka phool)
  • 5 whole red kashmiri chilies (sabut laal mirchi)

Powdered Spices

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp red chili powder (laal mirchi powder)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder (zeera powder)
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper powder (kali mirchi powder)

Instructions

  • Take the 2"x6" tenderloin strips and beat them with a meat mallet till they are very thin.
  • Chop the onion and fry it in the ¼ cup oil till it is a deep brown and set aside.
  • Peel half a kiwi, mash it, and set it aside.
  • Dry roast the whole spices and then grind them to a powder using a spice grinder.
  • Take all of the ingredients except the beef tenderloin strips and grind them to a paste in a food processor.
  • Marinate the beef in this mixture overnight (see notes)
  • Remove the meat from the fridge after the marination period is over and thread the strips on the skewers.
  • Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit
  • Drizzle a little Avocado oil on the grill pan and then saute the skewered meat till it is brown on all four sides.
  • Brush the roasting Pan with some oil and place the skewers in it.
  • Drizzle any remaining marinade over the skewers.
  • Cover with foil and bake for about 30-60 minutes, till the meat is cooked through.
  • Take a small bowl and place it in the roasting pan.
  • Heat a piece of charcoal and place it in the bowl.
  • Pour a tablespoon of cooking oil over the lit coal to make it smoke.
  • Cover the roasting pan with foil and place a baking sheet over it to keep the smoke in.
  • Remove and discard the coal after 5 minutes and enjoy your kabab.

Notes

Oil - Traditionally, Bihari Kabab is cooked with Mustard Oil (Sarson Ka Tel). It gives a special taste and smell to the kabab. I use avocado oil for mine as I prefer it for most of my cooking, but if you want a truly authentic flavor, try the mustard oil.
Meat - Using the right meat is key to the kebab's turning out well. The recipe requires the use of Beef tenderloin. This is then cut into thin strips and pounded using a meat tenderizer until they are paper thin (called 'parchas').
Onion - The onion needs to be chopped, browned in ¼ cup of oil, and then ground to a paste, with the oil included, to be used in the marinade. If you prefer to use store-bought brown onions then use ⅛ cup and add a teaspoon of oil to moisten them. 
Kiwi - Traditionally, raw papaya is used as a tenderizer in the Bihari kabab recipe. No more than 1 tablespoon per pound of meat should be used. Too much can actually cause the meat to shred and also taste bitter. In the absence of availability, Kiwi works amazingly well as a substitute and is my go-to here in the USA. Use ½ a kiwi per pound of meat. Powdered meat tenderizer is also an option but I'm not a huge fan as I've always found that it alters the taste of the kebab and leaves the texture short of being authentic. If that is your only option, use about 1 tablespoon per pound.
Gram Flour - Gram flour, or Chickpea flour is made from a specific South Asian Chickpeas. In this recipe it adds a nice nutty taste and also helps act as a binding agent, making the ground spices stick to the meat and not fall off during marination and cooking.
Marinade Time - You will see many recipes with a variety of suggestions for marination time. After much experimentation... if you use beef tenderloin, cut in thin strips as recommended in this recipe, and a kiwi, overnight marination is necessary to get the right texture for this kebab. However, make sure you don't exceed 12 hours or the meat will start tearing and shredding as you thread it on the skewers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 680mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 6mg