Meat recipes to try after Eid break

With Eid-ul-Azha now over, you should have a refrigerator full of meat for you to cook up a storm. And here are the perfect recipes to accompany you in said cooking adventure.

ALOO BUKHARA BEEF BHUNA

Ingredients

1 kg boneless beef, cubed 

250g onions, chopped

75g ginger paste 

75g garlic paste  

100g tomatoes         

150g aloo Bukhara 

100g yoghurt    

20g red chilli powder

20g cashew nuts     

150g soybean oil 

15 garam masala powder

10 cumin powder

10g coriander powder

2g bay leaves   

5g green cardamoms

10g cinnamon sticks

50g ghee      

5g nutmeg  

15g coriander leaves 

Salt to taste

Method

Whisk the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, and all other ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Mix it with the beef cubes until all it is coated. Cover the bowl and keep in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat, add green cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves and sauté for 2 minutes. Add onion and stir, until it softens and becomes golden brown. Add the marinated beef and cook until the oil separates. Now pour water and cook, until the beef is tender and the oil separates again.

Add aloo Bukhara, 1 cup of water, cover and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes, so the flavours can blend in. Uncover the pot and turn on high heat and dry the extra gravy. Garnish with deep fried onions and coriander leaves. Serve with rice or naan.  

BEEF SUKKA

Ingredients

1 kg beef, with or without bone

1 medium onion, finely sliced

2 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped

1-inch fresh ginger, finely chopped

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3-4 green chillies, slit (increase quantity up to 8 green chillies)

2 tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

For spice powder—

1 tbsp fennel (mouri) seeds

1 stick cinnamon or cassia bark

5 cloves

5 cardamoms

20 peppercorns, adjusted for taste

For the seasoning—

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup coconut slivers

4 sprigs (about 25-30) curry leaves

½-1 cup coconut oil, depends on how health conscious you are

Method

Wash the beef and cut it into small pieces, transfer into a pressure cooker. Add all the ingredients mentioned and also the mixed spices, powdered. Mix it well. There is no need to add water, as the meat will release a lot of stock. Sprinkle a handful, if needed.    

Cook the meat for two whistles, then simmer and cook for another 12 minutes or until the meat is tender (cooking time may vary according to the tenderness of the meat).

In a large, wide based karai (wok), heat the coconut oil, add the mustard seeds and when they stop spluttering, add the onions and fry until golden brown in colour. Add the curry leaves and the coconut slivers (or grated coconut) and roast on a medium heat until the pieces turn golden to get a nice aroma. This will take some time, so have patience.

Now add only the cooked pieces of meat (do not add the stock) and fry on a medium high heat till the moisture evaporates.

Then top up by adding the stock in parts (2 handfuls at a time). Do not add all of the stock at one go. The meat needs to fry and the stock when added in parts, will help retain the juiciness and at the same time, it will help the meat to fry and not stew – otherwise you will have a beef curry and not a beef fry on your hands!

When the meat is fried, it will turn darker and darker. When the desired consistency (thickness of gravy) is achieved, remove the wok from the heat. You can fry until the gravy is completely evaporated. Serve hot with rice or chapattis.

CHILLI LIME MANGO CHICKEN SKEWERS

Ingredients
1 kg boneless chicken
150g fresh mango puree
10g ginger paste 
150g green chilli     
500g yoghurt    
100g cashew nut paste    
150g mustard oil 
15g garam masala powder
10g cumin powder
10g coriander powder
50g ghee      
15g coriander leaves 
5g sugar   
10ml lemon juice
Salt to taste
Method
Prepare a marinade of ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, salt and mix the chicken cube with all these. Let rest for 10-15 minutes. Pour the rest of the ingredients into the yoghurt and mix well until it turns into smooth paste. Then add the marinated chicken pieces to the mixture. Rest for 30 minutes. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewer. Roast it in tandoori oven until cooked well. Serve hot with naan.

NAWABI MUTTON

Ingredients
1 kg boneless mutton
300g onions 
10g ginger paste 
150g green chillies
100g yoghurt    
1g saffron
20g cashew nuts
150g soybean oil 
15g garam masala powder
10 cumin powder
10g coriander powder
5g bay leaves   
5g green cardamoms
10g cinnamon sticks
50g ghee      
5g nutmeg 
15g coriander leaves 
10g mace
10g sugar   
150ml coconut milk  
Salt to taste
Method
Take a pot, add oil and heat it up. Add green cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, and mace, and stir for 2 minutes. Add onions, ginger, and garlic. Cook for another few minutes, until onions become soft. Add mutton, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, and saffron, half of green chilli, cashew nut and yoghurt. Mix it well and cook, until the mutton is tender.
Add coconut milk, garam masala powder, rest of green chilli, sugar and stir for another 2 minutes. Serve with rice.

SPECIAL BEEF TANDOORI KEBAB

Ingredients
1 kg boneless beef
75g ginger paste 
10g black pepper
500g yoghurt    
10g Kashmiri red chilli powder
150g mustard oil 
10g lemon juice
100g cashew nuts
15g garam masala powder
10g cumin powder
10g coriander powder
50g ghee      
5g nutmeg  
15g coriander leaves 
50g butter 
Salt to taste
Method
Cut the beef in thin slices. Take a bowl and put all the ingredients along with yoghurt and mix properly. Add the sliced beef and completely coat with the mixture. Keep it in the chiller for 30 minutes.
After removing the beef from the chiller, put them on a skewer and cook properly in a tandoori oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with butter naan.

Recipes by Chef Sheikh Abdur Rashid, Executive Sous Chef, Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden