Chapli kebab — from the Pashto word "chaprikh" meaning flat — is a large, flat minced-meat patty from Peshawar and the Pashtun regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. What distinguishes it from every other kebab: the inclusion of dried pomegranate seeds (anardana), which add a tart, fruity crunch inside the meaty patty, and the frying in ghee or tallow (not grilling on skewers like seekh kebab). The patty is substantial — 10–12cm across, 1cm thick — and when fried in animal fat, develops a shattering crust while remaining juicy inside.
- **Pomegranate seeds (anardana) are the signature.** The dried seeds add acid, crunch, and a fruity counterpoint to the fatty meat. No other kebab tradition uses pomegranate in the meat mix itself. - **Fry, don't grill.** Chapli kebab is shallow-fried in ghee or beef tallow — not grilled on skewers. The fat frying produces the crust that defines the texture. - **The meat must be hand-minced, not machine-ground.** Hand-chopped meat has a coarser, more irregular texture that holds together differently than machine-ground. The irregular surface creates more Maillard crust. - **Flat shape maximises surface area.** The wide, thin patty has more crust-to-interior ratio than a ball or cylinder. Every bite has crispy exterior.
PAKISTANI + BRAZILIAN + PERUVIAN + SCANDINAVIAN DEEP