In India, it is eaten as a regular street food, specifically, in the Indian cities of Bhopal, Lucknow, and Hyderabad; it is especially popular with Indian Muslims, the dish is eaten late-night during Ramadan. Bun kebabs are usually sold from roadside stalls, side street vendors, and fast food restaurants.[3] They are also commonly known as anday wala burger.[4] A ‘fried’ version of the bun kebab is popular in Lahore, known as ‘bun plaster’ due to copious amounts of butter and super tender or paste-like kebab mixture used in it. Bun kababs are usually eaten as a main course or snack.[5]
Bun kebabs were brought to Pakistan by Urdu-speaking Muhajirs during the Partition of India in 1947, and are now a signature in metro cities in Pakistan like Karachi and Lahore, but are even found all over Pakistan.[5] Bun Kebab vendors are scattered all across Karachi, vendors on Burns Road being particularly famous,[6] and imitated by frozen bun kebabs sold in South Asian supermarkets across the world.[7]
The origins of the bun kabab trace back to Bhopal in India's Madhya Pradesh in the early 1900s, however its exact inception is debated. Some claim that Haji Abdul Razzak introduced the sandwich as a quick meal for workers in 1903. Another claim is that the bun kebab evolved from the vada pav, a fast food style sandwich native to the city of Mumbai in Maharashtra.[1] A third view is that it was first found outside the Khayam Cinema as a food made primarily for moviegoers.[2]
After the initial emergence of the bun kabab, new patty variations rose to popularity, including dal patties and shami kebab.[2]
A bun kabab consists of a shallow-fried spicy patty called shami kebab, onions, and chutney and/or raita in a grilled bun. The chutney is made up from tamarind (imli), salt, cumin powder, and whole red chillies.
Bun kabab patties are typically composed of mutton or beef, ground lentils, powdered cumin seeds, and an egg batter. Although they can be vegetarian. The patties are fried in ghee or oil. A bun kabab can also be served with a fried egg or omelette[3] and topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions.[5]
The patty, shami kabab, can be made of chicken, beef, mutton, potato (aloo wala), egg (anday wala), or lentil (daal).[5] The beef and egg recipe is the most popular, especially among street vendors.
India
