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Old Dhaka beef chap
বিফ চাপ (beef chap): Old Dhaka's pounded, spiced beef slices fried crisp on a huge griddle
After the evening prayers, the stalls around Chawkbazar and Lalbagh light their wide flat tawas and start slapping down chap, slices of beef beaten paper-thin, marinated in a fierce paste and fried in a pool of oil until the edges crisp and frill. You eat it torn into pieces with soft naan or a flaky paratha, a heap of raw onion and cucumber, and a squirt of tamarind or mint sauce. The marinade is tenderised with raw papaya, and a light coat of gram flour gives the crust its golden, slightly lacy finish. People often stop at slicing, but the meat has to be pounded thin or it stays chewy no matter how long it fries. The same treatment is used for boneless chicken thighs, which cook in half the time. Chef's tip: freeze the beef for 30 minutes before slicing, then beat each slice between two sheets of cling film with a rolling pin.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the beef
- 1 ⅓ lb beef topside or sirloinsliced 1 cm thick across the grain
- 2 tbsp raw green papayagrated and pounded to a paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 tsp hot red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the coating and frying
- 3 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Lay each slice of 1 ⅓ lb beef topside or sirloin between two sheets of cling film and pound it with a rolling pin or meat mallet until it is about 4 mm thick and roughly doubled in size.
15 minStep 2: Mix 2 tbsp raw green papaya, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 2 tsp hot red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp lime juice and 1 ½ tsp salt, and rub it all over the beef. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 2–4 hours (not longer, or the papaya turns the meat mushy).
Step 3: Mix 3 tbsp gram flour (besan), 1 tbsp rice flour and 1 tsp chilli flakes and dust it lightly over both sides of each slice, pressing it on so it sticks to the marinade.
Step 4: Heat ½ cup mustard oil or neutral oil on a large flat griddle or heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2 minStep 5: Fry 2 slices at a time for 3–4 minutes on each side, pressing down with a flat spatula, until deep brown and crisp at the edges and cooked through with no pink juices.
16 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does old Dhaka beef chap take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ginger paste?
- Grated fresh ginger, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic paste?
- 1 crushed garlic clove per ½ tsp.
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