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The Wazwan — Kashmir's royal feast
Wazwan Way · The Royal Feast

The Wazwan.

Thirty-six courses, one copper trami — the feast Kashmir is named for.

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Wazwan

Shami Kabab

Shami Kabab is a griddle kabab of twice-ground mutton cooked down with split chana dal and whole spices, then pounded to a smooth paste, bound with egg, and shallow-fried into flat discs. In the Kashmiri kitchen it belongs to the kabab family served alongside the Wazwan, prized for a soft, almost creamy interior against a browned crust. The dal is not a filler but the dish's signature, giving the kabab its characteristic bind and gentle nuttiness.

Non-vegMediumINR 200-4004.5 / 5 popularity★ Traditional Wazwan Course

Waza AI Culinary Authority Scores

Authenticity4.4/5
Tourist Friendliness4.6/5
Luxury & Comfort3.5/5
Shami Kabab
History

Shami Kabab in Kashmiri tradition

The shami kabab travelled into the subcontinent with Central Asian and Mughal cooks and settled across the north, Kashmir included, where kabab-making is a respected craft. The name is popularly tied to the Levant (‘Shaam’), and the dish's defining trick — simmering minced meat with chana dal until both collapse into one paste — made it a way to stretch and soften meat into an elegant, spoon-tender kabab fit for a feast.

Tourist Tip

Eat it hot off the griddle with a squeeze of lemon, sliced onions and a sharp mint or onion chutney; the best versions are soft enough to break with the side of a fork.

Where To Try It

Restaurants serving Shami Kabab

The Recipe

How to make Shami Kabab(Shami Kabab)

Minced mutton simmered with chana dal and whole spices until dry, ground to a smooth paste, bound with egg and shallow-fried into soft, crusted patties. A kabab defined by the meeting of meat and dal.

Prep 30 minCook 40 minServes 4ModerateWazwan (Muslim)
Ingredients
  • ·500 g mutton mince (leg), with a little fat
  • ·100 g chana dal (split Bengal gram), soaked 1 hour
  • ·1 onion, roughly chopped
  • ·4 cloves garlic and 1 inch ginger
  • ·3-4 dried Kashmiri chillies
  • ·4 cloves, 4 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 small cinnamon stick
  • ·1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ·1 tsp fennel powder
  • ·Salt to taste
  • ·1 egg, beaten, to bind
  • ·A handful of chopped coriander and mint
  • ·Ghee for shallow-frying

Waza Tips

  • Cook the mixture until truly dry before grinding — any moisture and the kababs fall apart in the pan.
  • Chill the shaped kababs for 15 minutes before frying so they hold their form.
Method
  1. 1

    Put the mince, drained chana dal, onion, ginger, garlic, whole spices, cumin, fennel and salt in a heavy pot with just enough water to cover.

  2. 2

    Simmer, covered, until the meat and dal are completely soft and the water has all but evaporated, 30-35 minutes.

  3. 3

    Cool the mixture, pick out the whole spices, and grind it to a smooth, stiff paste with no free moisture.

  4. 4

    Work in the chopped coriander and mint and the beaten egg until the paste holds together firmly.

  5. 5

    With moist hands, shape the paste into flat discs about a centimetre thick.

  6. 6

    Heat ghee in a wide pan over medium heat and shallow-fry the kababs until deep golden and crusted on both sides, 3-4 minutes a side.

  7. 7

    Drain briefly and serve hot with lemon, onion rings and chutney.

Common Mistakes
  • ×A wet paste, which spreads and breaks on the griddle.
  • ×Frying on high heat, which colours the crust before the centre warms through.
At Home

Twice-minced lamb and ordinary chana dal reproduce this anywhere; a food processor grinds the cooked mixture in seconds.

Serving

Serve as a starter or alongside the Wazwan with mint chutney, sliced onion and lemon.