Chapli Kabab Patty Melt
The iconic street food found along the streets of India and Pakistan combined with an American classic. This ain't like any Patty Melt you've had before.
Ingredients
Keema Masala
1 pound ground beef (you can substitute chicken, lamb, or turkey)
1 pinch garam masala
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic ginger paste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 jalapeño finely diced (seeds and vein removed)
handful of chopped cilantro
juice of half lime
Sandwich Materials
Sourdough Bread
Pepper Jack Cheese
Sliced Onions
Sliced Jalapenos
Combine all ingredients above in a bowl and mix with your hand until well homogenized. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the meat mixture to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This time will allow all the flavors to intermingle and give a chance for the meat proteins to chill out so your patties do not break apart.
The easiest way to create a uniform patty for your sandwich is to make sure your portions are equal. If you have a food scale feel free to weigh out your patties, or use an ice cream scoop!
To cook, preheat a large heavy skillet. You want the pan to be extremely hot so you can get a great sear on both sides of the patty. A good way to check if the pan is hot enough is to sprinkle a few drops of water onto the surface. If it starts to bubble and scuttle away then it is hot enough. If the water turns to steam immediately then your pan is too hot and needs to cool slightly before adding the meat.
Once your pan is hot, drizzle about one tablespoon of oil into your pan and then place the patties in. Only do a few at a time so you do not crowd the pan and lose that precious heat. Remember when you add cold meat to a hot pan, the temperature drops. If the temperature drops too much you will end up steaming your meat and not getting that tasty caramelized crust. You want to let each side of the patty cook, approximately 3-4 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Once done let the patties cool while you prep the sandwich materials!
Grab a slice of your favorite bread, I love a good sourdough. Next get a few slices of cheese, I used pepper-jack here but feel free to use whatever you like. This is a dish where you can use what you have on hand and you cannot go wrong! Warm up a pan (Lazy Tip: just wipe down the one you used to cook the patties). Add a pat of butter and let the bread toast along with the cheese, layer on your patties and add any other toppings you like. I recommend some thinly sliced onions, cilantro, and maybe some jalapeños if you are looking for an extra kick. The great thing about this recipe is its versatility. This marinade can be used in a few different ways, so keep your eyes peeled for all the ways you can use this ground meat with the next series of recipes that are about to drop!
