Kafta Kabab with Yemeni-Style Eggplant Bhurta and Homemade Bread

Prep Time 90 mins

Cook Time 55 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 25 mins

Category: Dawat & Eid Specials, Main Course (Desi)

Difficulty: Advanced

Servings: 6

Description

A delicious fusion of Yemeni-inspired cooking and Pakistani flavours, this dish combines smoky roasted eggplant bhurta with spicy, juicy beef kafta kababs. Topped with homemade bread and served with a fresh onion salad, it's a comforting and hearty family meal.

Ingredients

Roasted Vegetables:

2 medium eggplants – 600g (baingan)
1 onion
1 red bell pepper (shimla mirch)
1 green bell pepper
1 hot green chili – jalapeño
4 small tomatoes
1 whole garlic head
Olive oil, salt, black pepper – as needed

Dough:

½ cup warm water
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour (add more if needed) (maida)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil

Kafta Kabab (Kofta):

1 kg minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped bell pepper (optional) (any color)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
3 –4 tbsp fried onions
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander powder
3 –4 green chillies
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 –3 tbsp tikka masala

Simple Salad:

1 medium onion – sliced (150g)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or hara dhania)
1 tsp sumac (or a little lemon juice as substitute)
Salt, chaat masala, chilli powder and black pepper – to taste

Optional Topping:

1 egg + 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
Black seeds , if desired (kalonji)

Instructions

1. Roast the Vegetables:

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Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
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Make small holes in the eggplants using a fork.
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Place the eggplants, onion, both bell peppers, green chili, and tomatoes on a baking tray.
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Cut the top off the garlic head, peel the cloves, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
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Roast everything in the oven for 20 minutes.

2. Prepare the Dough:

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In a bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
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Add flour, salt, and olive oil.
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Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth.
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Cover and let it rest for 1 hour.

3. Make the Bhurta:

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Take the roasted vegetables out and cover them for 10 minutes to steam.
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Peel the eggplants, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Remove seeds if needed.
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Chop everything finely and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Spread this mixture in a baking dish.

4. Prepare the Kafta:

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Preheat the oven to 250°C (450°F).
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In a bowl, mix the beef mince with all the kafta ingredients.
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Knead for 5 minutes.
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Marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
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Wet your hands and shape the mixture into long kebab-style koftas, like seekh kebabs.
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Place the koftas on top of the bhurta in the baking dish.
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Drizzle with olive oil.
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Bake for 15 minutes.

5. Top with Dough and Bake:

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Roll out the rested dough into a flat circular disc (roti).
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Place it over the baking dish like a lid, sealing the edges well.
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Brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water), if desired, and sprinkle with black seeds (kalonji), if desired.
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Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.

6. Make the Simple Salad:

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Mix the sliced onions, chopped parsley, sumac, salt, chaat masala, chilli powder, and black pepper in a bowl.
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To Serve:
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Cut through the baked bread and scoop out some bhurta and kafta together.
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Serve with the fresh onion salad on the side.

Note

The dough can be rested while preparing the other components.

After covering the dish with dough, lower the oven temperature if you want to cook it for longer. Adjust according to your oven.

Keywords: Kafta kabab, Yemeni eggplant bhurta, Pakistani style kafta, beef kofta recipe, roasted eggplant recipe, homemade bread, beef mince recipes, desi fusion food.