Beef marinated overnight in yogurt and spices then barbecued on skewers, a meat lovers dream!
Love to BBQ, enjoy meat and spicy food but tired of grilling bland steaks? Well then here is a flavorful treat for you. Bihari (bee haa ree) Kabob/kabab is a popular dish from Pakistan. It is strips of thinly sliced beef, marinated overnight in yogurt and spices then barbecued on skewers into a tender meaty kabab. The yogurt helps to naturally tenderize the meat while the spices add tons of flavor. While it does use many warm spices, it is meant to be flavorful, not fiery hot spicy to burn your mouth. It can be eaten by itself as an appetizer or as a main dish served with rice, naan and raita.
Growing up I had never heard of it, I discovered it much later in life. I remember the first time I had this dish at a BBQ at my friend Khairun’s house. I fell in love with it, and could not believe what I had missed out on all these years! Khairun, you will always have a special place in my heart for introducing me to my all time favorite kabab! Anytime we go to a Pakistani restaurant I always look for it on the menu, its become a family favorite.
Since then, I have tried various recipes and tweaked them numerous times to make it simple and my own. Below I am sharing my version. It does need to be marinated overnight, so plan at least day ahead or freeze weeks in advance. If you have a grill, BBQ is the traditional way to cook it. Don’t have a grill, no worries, you can broil them in the oven. Meat is typically fully cooked through all the way for this kabab.
Makes 6 skewers/ 4 servings as main dish
Time: 5 mins to prepare marinade, marinade overnight, cook 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 2.25 lbs. Thinly sliced beef (like cheese slices). Marbled is best to keep it juicy.
- 1 1/2 cups Yogurt
- 1 cup grated Onion
- 2 tablespoons Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper powder
- 3 tablespoons Bihari kabob spice mix (I prefer Laziza or National brands for this)
- 1 tablespoon Crushed papita (raw papaya paste) or meat tenderizer powder
- Optional add fresh crushed green chili, red chili powder, or flakes to make it more spicy per your liking
- Optional garnish: sliced raw onion is commonly served alongside, tomatoes, lemon or lime wedges, coriander or parsley
- Oil for brushing during grilling
- Skewers: metal or wood (if using wood soak them in water). Flat ones hold the meat better than round or square ones.
Method:
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
- Add the beef, cover and let it sit overnight in the fridge to marinate.
- Skewer the beef slices onto metal or wooden skewers in a fan-like pattern. If the pieces are wide, fold it in half or cut lengthwise and then skewer it on. Multiple pieces should go on the skewers pushed together with no gaps in between. (see pics above)
- BBQ on medium flame for 5 mins on each side, for a total of 20 mins. Brush oil periodically.
- For oven cooking, turn on to broil setting (high heat), put skewers on a baking dish on the top shelf for 10 mins, then brush with oil and turn to cook other side for another 10 mins. There should be nice charred grilled marks on the meat.
- Serve hot immediately.
- Enjoy!
Tips:
- Do not cook ahead and try to reheat the meat, it will get chewy and does not taste the same. Serve and eat immediately.
- Double the batch, its easy to freeze the raw beef and marinade for next time! The raw meat with the marinade can be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge and then skewer and cook as above. Do not freeze cooked kabobs.
- Serve as an appetizer with green chutney, or serve as the main meal with naan, rice and raita. Make kabab rolls for a perfect lunch for office, school or picnics.