Tunday Kababi
An authentic non-vegetarian recipe from Uttar Pradesh, India
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
MediumCategory
Non-VegetarianIngredients
For 4 servings
500g Minced lamb (keema), very finely ground
80g Chana dal (split chickpea), soaked and ground to paste
30g Raw papaya paste
100g Onion, very finely chopped
25g Ginger-garlic paste
3piece Green chillies, finely minced
3g Cardamom powder
2g Mace powder (javitri)
1g Nutmeg powder
5ml Kewra water
5ml Rose water
50ml Ghee
8g Salt
4g Garam masala
15g Coriander leaves, finely chopped
15 ingredients needed
💡 Pro Tip: Gather all ingredients before you start cooking for a smooth preparation process.
Cooking Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to prepare this authentic dish
Combine the minced lamb with raw papaya paste. Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour — the papaya enzymes tenderise the meat, giving tunday kababi its melt-in-the-mouth texture.
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Soak the chana dal for 2 hours, then grind to a smooth paste. This acts as a binder.
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In a large bowl, combine the tenderised minced lamb, chana dal paste, finely chopped onion, ginger-garlic paste, and minced green chillies.
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Add cardamom powder, mace powder, nutmeg powder, garam masala, kewra water, rose water, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
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Knead the mixture vigorously for 5–7 minutes until it becomes very smooth and cohesive. The mixture should hold its shape when pressed.
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Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to firm up.
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Divide into small portions (about 40 g each). Wet your palms with water and shape each portion into a flat, round patty about 1 cm thick.
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Heat ghee in a flat tawa (griddle) over medium heat.
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Place the kababs on the tawa and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until deep golden brown. Press gently with a spatula — they should be firm and cooked through.
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Serve hot with sheermal, roomali roti, or kulcha, accompanied by sliced onions, mint chutney, and lemon wedges.
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Chef's Tips
Raw papaya paste is the secret to the legendary softness of tunday kababi — the papain enzyme breaks down the meat proteins, making the kababs extraordinarily tender.
The mince must be ground very fine — ask your butcher to pass it through the mincer twice. Coarse mince produces kababs that fall apart.
Kewra water and rose water are the aromatic signatures of Lucknowi cuisine; do not omit them as they define the dish's character.
Tunday kababi is named after Haji Murad Ali, a one-armed (tunday) cook from Lucknow who created this recipe — it is said to have originally contained over 160 spices.
About This Dish
Tunday Kababi is a traditional non-vegetarian dish from Uttar Pradesh, India. This authentic recipe provides exact measurements for cooking 4 servings.
- Raw papaya paste is the secret to the legendary softness of tunday kababi — the papain enzyme breaks down the meat proteins, making the kababs extraordinarily tender. - The mince must be ground very fine — ask your butcher to pass it through the mincer twice. Coarse mince produces kababs that fall apart. - Kewra water and rose water are the aromatic signatures of Lucknowi cuisine; do not omit them as they define the dish's character. - Tunday kababi is named after Haji Murad Ali, a one-armed (tunday) cook from Lucknow who created this recipe — it is said to have originally contained over 160 spices.
Category
Non-Vegetarian
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium