You can add pineapple and chile chutney, cilantro and mint chutney, or garlic and chile chutney, all of which you can find ingredients for within my most-recent collection of recipes, Ammu. These kababs can also be cooked on the barbecue. You could use ground beef or lamb instead of chicken, but you may need to adjust the cooking time.

Chicken Kabab Burgers

(Serves 6 — making 12 burgers)

750 grams (1 pound, 10 ounces) ground chicken thighs
1 tablespoon full-fat Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 green chiles, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 small tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
1 egg, beaten
Scant 1 cup (200 milliliters) vegetable oil, for frying

To Serve

12 burger buns (or naan or pita bread)
Chutney (optional)
1 red onion, sliced into 12 rings

Put the ground chicken in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients (except the oil); mix well. Oil your hands and divide the mixture into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten to a patty. Each kabab should be 2 centimeters (3/4 inches) high. Cover the kababs to prevent them from drying out.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. To test that the oil is hot, cut one of the onion slices in half and dip the tip into the oil—it should start to sizzle immediately. If not, heat the oil for a bit longer and check again. Reduce the heat to medium and after 30 seconds slip the kababs from the edge to prevent the oil from splashing and burning your hand. Do not overload the pan. Fry the kababs in a single layer with enough space for you to turn them safely, until well-browned on both sides and cooked through. 

Slice the open burger buns and spread both sides with a thin layer of chutney, if using. Top with a kabab and a slice of onion.

Reprinted with permission from
Ammu: Indian Home-Cooking to Nourish Your Soul
Asma Khan. 
Interlink Books, 2022. 
interlinkbooks.com.

Asma Khan
Asma Khan is the chef and restaurateur of London’s Darjeeling Express, which began as a supper club, then a pop-up, before settling in its permanent location to wide acclaim. Khan’s food is homage to her royal Mughlai ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta, where she grew up. An all-women team runs the kitchen at Darjeeling Express, which has been featured in Time Out, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian and numerous others. In 2015 it was named one of the best restaurants in London by the Evening Standard, and in 2017 Eater named it one of its most impressive restaurant newcomers.