Chapli Kebabs: A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Specialty

Although many recipes abound, the humble chapli kebab emerged from the erstwhile province of NWFP (North West Frontier Province) in British India and the adjoining region of Afghanistan. The chapli kebab consists of a flat meat patty (beef, mutton, chicken or a combination of these) combined with 2 essential ingredients - dried pomegranate seeds and freshly roasted and then crushed coriander seeds. The name 'chapli' is said to originate from the Pashto word for flat 'chaprikh' but may also be derived from the local word for sandals, 'chappal'.

Chapli kebabs are prepared with raw mince (beef being the most popular option), then marinated variously in coarse wheat flour, crushed coriander and pomegranate seeds, ground cumin, salt, freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, fresh cilantro and green chilli peppers.

The ingredients used in preparing chapli kebabs are indigenous to northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, as can be seen by the use of dried pomegranate seeds and coriander seeds, and they make the chapli kebab extremely mouthwatering in taste.