Kashmiri Kabargah
Tender lamb ribs given a thin spiced yoghurt coating and fried until delicately crisp.
Kabargah belongs to Kashmir’s rib preparations. This home version distinguishes it from the uncoated tabak maaz recipe with a thin yoghurt-and-flour coating.
Start cooking ↓ Ingredients
Metric and household measures: 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5 ml.
Servings
These quantities make 4 servings. Use the measured ingredients below. If changing the batch size, keep piece thickness and doneness checks the same; pan size and cooking time do not scale directly with ingredient weight.
Before you start
Check ingredients
Use flat butcher-cut ribs and keep pieces similar in size.
Flat butcher-cut lamb breast-rib pieces for Kashmiri tabak maaz on a clean dedicated raw-meat board, wide flat rectangular sections with parallel rib bones and a modest surface layer of fat Prepare carefully
Whisk the yoghurt coating until smooth before adding flour.
Whisking plain yogurt Plan the method
Allow cooked ribs to drain and dry before coating them.
Cooked pale flat lamb breast-rib pieces draining on a wire rack above a tray, a clean paper towel gently patting one dry Set up the kitchen
Use a wide heavy pan and a splatter guard if available.
Wide pan oil
Step-by-step cooking method
1 Prepare
Pat ribs dry and put them in a wide saucepan with milk and water.
Flat lamb breast-rib sections simmering gently in pale milk diluted with water, fennel, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves in a wide stainless saucepan 2 Add aromatics
Add fennel, dried ginger, cardamom and half the salt. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer.
Flat lamb breast-rib sections simmering gently in pale milk diluted with water, fennel, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves in a wide stainless saucepan 3 Cook until tender
Simmer for 50–70 minutes, turning once or twice. Add hot water as needed; the ribs should be tender before frying.
Flat lamb breast-rib sections simmering gently in pale milk diluted with water, fennel, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves in a wide stainless saucepan 4 Drain
Lift onto a rack and let surface steam escape. Pat dry so the coating will cling.
Cooked pale flat lamb breast-rib pieces draining on a wire rack above a tray, a clean paper towel gently patting one dry 5 Make a thin coating
Whisk yoghurt, flour, remaining salt and optional Kashmiri chilli. Add a teaspoon of water only if too thick to spread thinly.
One cooked drained flat lamb breast-rib section lightly dipped in a thin smooth yoghurt-and-flour coating in a shallow bowl 6 Coat and heat
Heat oil and ghee over medium heat in a heavy frying pan. Coat one batch of ribs lightly; let excess drip off.
One cooked drained flat lamb breast-rib section lightly dipped in a thin smooth yoghurt-and-flour coating in a shallow bowl 7 Fry carefully
Fry in batches for 3–5 minutes per side until the thin coating is golden and cooked. Lower the heat if the coating browns too quickly.
Cooked flat lamb breast-rib pieces with a thin pale golden yoghurt-flour coating shallow-frying in a little oil and ghee in a wide heavy skillet 8 Serve
Drain on a rack and serve immediately with rice or a simple salad. The coating should be crisp and the ribs hot throughout.
Finished dish and serving reference
Tips & fixes
- Coating slips: dry the ribs more thoroughly.
- Heavy crust: use only a thin layer and let excess drip away.
- Burning exterior: lower the heat; tenderise in the first stage, not during frying.
Heat guide
Start on medium heat where the method calls for frying, then lower to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat if food catches or fat smokes; use the stated texture and doneness cues rather than the clock alone.
Storage
Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers, refrigerate and use within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat only the portion needed until steaming hot throughout. Follow ingredient use-by dates if sooner.
Variations
- Omit chilli for a milder fennel-and-ginger flavour.
- A gluten-free coating can use rice flour, but texture will differ and cross-contact still matters.
Nutrition
Approximate values per serving, excluding optional accompaniments. Ingredient brands, edible meat yield, absorbed fat and portion sizes change the result.
| Energy | Protein | Carbohydrate | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600 kcal | 33 g | 20 g | 43 g |
FAQs
Can I prepare this ahead?
Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers, refrigerate and use within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat only the portion needed until steaming hot throughout. Follow ingredient use-by dates if sooner.
Can I change the ingredients?
Use the variations below as a starting point. Ingredient changes alter flavour, texture, allergens and the nutrition estimate.
How do I know it is ready?
Fry in batches for 3–5 minutes per side until the thin coating is golden and cooked. Lower the heat if the coating browns too quickly.
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