What is shashlik?

What does shashlik mean?

Cambridge Dictionary defines shashlik as an Eastern European or Asian dish made by placing pieces of meat and vegetables on a long, thin stick or metal rod and cooking them together. A peer-reviewed study of Central Asian street food describes shashlik as skewered grilled cubes of meat, sometimes alternating meat, fat and vegetables. The definitions capture the recognisable skewer format without prescribing one universal meat, marinade or seasoning.

The Library of Congress also records the related spelling shashlyk in a migration history of skewered foods. That cross-regional evidence is why we do not assign a single national ownership or call the format exclusively Nepalese. At our Nepalese-and-Indian restaurant, the exact ingredient line is the reliable account of our version.

What is Shashlik Chicken or Lamb?

Our meat shashlik offers boneless chicken or lamb marinated with onion, capsicum and tomatoes on skewers. It comes as a £10.50 half portion or £16.95 full portion. No heat or dietary marker is printed.

Unlike Chicken Tikka, the shashlik description explicitly brings vegetables onto the skewer. Unlike Tandoori Chicken, it explicitly says boneless. Our Chicken Tikka versus Tandoori Chicken guide compares those neighbouring charcoal starters in detail.

What is Paneer Shashlik?

Paneer Shashlik replaces meat with paneer marinated in spices alongside onion, capsicum and tomatoes. It costs £14.95 and is marked vegetarian. Paneer is a fresh dairy cheese, so vegetarian does not mean vegan or dairy-free.

The dish has no gluten-free or heat marker. Do not infer either from the absence of bread or from a paneer dish elsewhere. Read our paneer guide and vegetarian and vegan guide for clearer menu planning.

What is Kathmandu Mixed Shashlik?

Kathmandu Mixed Shashlik is a separate £18.95 starter containing king prawn, boti kebab, tandoori chop and chicken tikka. It is designed as a mixed selection rather than a choice between a single meat and paneer.

The description does not repeat onion, capsicum and tomatoes, does not say every component is placed on one skewer and carries no dietary marker. We therefore do not transfer details from the chicken, lamb or paneer entries to the mixed dish. The live dine-in menu should remain the authority.

Which shashlik should you order?

Choose chicken or lamb if you want a straightforward boneless meat-and-vegetable skewer, and select half or full according to the rest of the meal. Choose Paneer Shashlik for the explicitly vegetarian version. Choose Mixed Shashlik when variety across seafood, lamb and chicken matters more than one main ingredient.

These are starters, so they can provide a skewered contrast to a sauce-led main without requiring an unsupported claim about the exact cooking equipment. Our ordering guide shows how to avoid repeating the same format, while the tandoor guide covers dishes whose menu descriptions explicitly name the tandoor, barbecue or charcoal.

Which shashlik has half and full portions?

Only Shashlik Chicken or Lamb publishes two portion prices: £10.50 half and £16.95 full. That makes it the most flexible option when you are deciding how many other starters to share. Paneer Shashlik has one listed price of £14.95, while Kathmandu Mixed Shashlik has one price of £18.95.

Those price formats do not establish an exact piece count or make the three dishes directly equivalent in size. The mixed dish also contains four different named components. If table size or quantity is important, ask the team which selection best fits the rest of your order.

How is shashlik different from the other kebabs?

The Shashlik Chicken or Lamb description names boneless pieces plus three vegetables on skewers. Seekh Kebab / Reshmi Kebab instead names minced lamb or chicken seasoned with herbs and cooked on skewers. Boti Kebab uses tender slices of lamb, while Kidney Kebab uses marinated lamb kidneys.

All belong to the broad world of skewered or charcoal-cooked starters, but cut and composition matter. Shashlik gives the clearest published meat-and-vegetable combination. Seekh and reshmi focus on mince, and boti on lamb slices. Reading the noun after—or beside—“kebab” is the quickest way to understand the texture before ordering.

What dietary markers are printed?

Paneer Shashlik is marked vegetarian. Shashlik Chicken or Lamb and Kathmandu Mixed Shashlik have no printed dietary markers. None of the three entries has a heat label. An absent marker must never be taken to mean gluten-free, nut-free or mild.

Paneer contains milk, and mixed seafood or meat dishes raise their own allergen questions. The Food Standards Agency recommends current allergen information and communication about cross-contact. Tell the team about your needs before ordering.

Common questions about shashlik

Is shashlik always meat?

No. Our Paneer Shashlik is the vegetarian option.

Is the chicken boneless?

Yes. The Shashlik Chicken or Lamb description explicitly says boneless.

What vegetables are included?

Onion, capsicum and tomatoes are named with the chicken, lamb and paneer versions.

Is shashlik hot?

No heat rating is printed. Ask the team if chilli sensitivity matters rather than inferring a level from the name.