For westerners, these Pakistani kebabs are unusual in that the mince is cooked before being shaped into patties. The trick to ensuring they hold their shape is to make sure the mince mixture is cooked until it is completely dry before puréeing and shaping. These can be made with minced lamb or beef, depending on your personal preference.
Note: you will need to begin this recipe the day before you want to eat, as the chana dal needs to soak overnight.
Soak the chana dal overnight in plenty of cold water. Place the cumin seeds, cloves and red chilli into a large frying pan and set over a medium heat to toast for a minute. Tip into a spice mill or pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the frying pan along with the onion and fry over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes until starting to soften. Stir through the garlic, ginger and the ground spices and fry for a further minute. Drain the chana dal and add to the pan along with the mince. Fry for a few minutes, stirring to break up the mince, then pour over 350ml water. Season with salt and pepper, cover loosely with a lid and simmer until the meat and chana dal are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until the mixture is really dry and starting to catch on the bottom. Stir regularly to prevent it from sticking. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Make the chutney by adding all the ingredients to a jug and whizzing with a stick blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and chill in the fridge until needed.
Once the meat and dal mixture is cool, place in a food processor and whizz to a paste. Add 1 egg and the gram flour and pulse to combine. The mixture should be stiff enough to hold its shape. If it’s a little wet, add some more flour. Shape into 4 burgers, place on a plate and cover with cling film, then leave to chill in the fridge for an hour.
When you are ready to cook, add a good glug of oil to a frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. When it’s shimmering hot, add the burgers, frying until crisp, about 4–5 minutes on each side. Keep warm on a plate in a low oven (around 110°C/90°C Fan/Gas Mark ¼).
Crack the remaining 4 eggs into the pan and fry them until cooked to your liking. Set 1 egg on top of each burger and keep warm. Assemble the burgers by adding a little onion, tomato and cucumber to the base of each toasted bun, top with a burger and egg, and finally add a dollop of chutney before covering with the top of the bun. Eat immediately.
