Some recipes and techniques have stood the test of time and are still loved many generations later. The use of yoghurt in some of the recipes takes the marinade to the next level and tenderises the meat to make it a scrumptious dish. Do not forget to execute the following easy-to-follow steps to setup a grand dinner table. 

MUTTON PASANDA

Mutton pasanda is a North Indian dish, a mild curry made of boneless sirloin from the leg of a goat, with creamy and flavourful aromatic spices. In Hindi, 'Pasanda' means liking. Now a days, similar ingredients and methods are used to make the dish from beef, buffalo meat, mutton, lamb or chicken.

Ingredients

1 kg mutton

½ cup cream

½ cup yoghurt

½ cup chopped onion

½ tsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp chopped ginger

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp nutmeg powder

1 tsp white pepper powder

2 tbsp almonds paste

1 tbsp roasted almond for garnish

4 tbsp ghee

Few coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method

Lightly pound mutton cubes with a steak hammer and place them in a bowl. Marinate mutton with yoghurt. Heat ghee in a pan and sauté chopped onions, ginger and garlic till it turns golden brown. Add turmeric powder, salt, cumin powder, nutmeg powder, pepper powder and coriander powder. Cook for few minutes. Now add the marinated mutton and two cups of water. Cook it for 30 minutes with the lid on. When the mutton is tender, add the almond paste, cream and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for another 10 minutes on a low heat with the lid on. When it is done, garnish with roasted almond and coriander leaves. Enjoy hot.

 

KASHMIRI YAKHNI MUTTON

Yakhni is yoghurt and saffron based mutton broth. This is a Kashmiri recipe made using mutton, curd and various spices. Mostly prepared during celebrations, this mutton recipe has a wonderful aroma of spices that are the essence of this delectable curry. Yakhni originated in Persia and was brought to India sometimes during the Akbar era. The earliest documented recipe is found in Ain-I-Akberi. It is made with mutton. This curry recipe is thick and flavourful and tastes amazing with pulao, biryani, naan and even roti and parathas.

Ingredients

1 kg mutton

1 cup yoghurt

¼ cup ghee

2 tsp fennel seeds powder

1 tsp dried ginger powder

4 green cardamoms

1 inch cinnamon stick

3 clove

2 bay leaves

2 red chillies

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 pinches saffron

2 tsp milk

Salt to taste

Method

Wash and clean the mutton and keep aside. Pour some hot water over the mutton and allow it to rest for 5-7 minutes. Now throw the water away and wash the mutton again. Heat ghee in a deep bottomed pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, whole red chilli and cook on low flame till the spices begin to crackle. Now add mutton, turmeric, salt and sauté for 5-7 minutes on medium flame. Now reduce the flame and cook covered till the mutton softens. You can add a little water if you feel the need. Whip the curd and add it to the mutton. Ensure that the mutton is uncovered and flame is at the lowest. Now add fennel seeds and ginger powder. Mix well. Add red chilli powder and cook till the mixture thickens. Now dissolve saffron in milk and add it to the mutton. Stir well and cook for another three minutes. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Khatta gosht 

(sour meat curry)

The Khatta gosht recipe is regarded as one of the most popular recipes of the Pakistani cuisine. No dining table is complete without presenting delicious and aromatic khatta gosht recipe. By following the khatta gosht recipe as it is listed you will get the perfect taste. Try out this really tasty, quick and easy recipe this Eid.

Ingredients

1 kg mutton or beef

A pinch of asafoetida

4 clove

4 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp garlic, shredded 

1 tbsp ginger, shredded, 1 tbsp jaggery

2 tbsp lemon juice, 4 tbsp mustard oil

½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp nigella

2 tsp red chilli powder

6 whole red chillies

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 cup yoghurt

Salt to taste

Method

Clean and cut meat into 1 inch pieces. Put to boil with 4 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt. Reduce heat and simmer till meat is tender. Remove meat pieces and reserve stock. Smoke mustard oil in a pan, reduce flame and add the other cooking oil. Add whole red chilli and sauté till chillies turn black, then discard the chillies. Crackle mustard seeds, clove and asafoetida in the oil. Add the meat pieces, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, nigella, jaggery, ginger and garlic. Mix well and cook till the meat pieces turn brown. Stir in stock and lemon juice, simmer for 2 minutes. Reduce flame and pour in the yoghurt, stirring vigorously. Cook till the fat surfaces. Garnish with deep fried onion rings if desired. Serve with naan or paratha.

Methi gosht 

(beef curry with dry fenugreek leaves)

Meat and fenugreek leaves curry is a typical Anglo Indian dish prepared regularly for lunch in most Anglo Indian homes, mostly in South India even today. It took its origins in the Madras presidency where Tamil cooks incorporated it in the daily fare. In the olden days, for whatever reason, it was also known as Marata mode curry or just meat and greens curry probably due to the Marata influence in the South.

Ingredients

1 kg beef or mutton

¼ cup dry fenugreek leaves

1 tsp fenugreek seeds paste

2 big onions, finely chopped

3 big tomato puréed

2 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

½ cup coconut milk, ¼ cup oil

Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions well. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté lightly. Add the tomato purée, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and fry for some time. Add the meat and dry fenugreek leaves and mix well. Continue frying for some time till the oil separates from the mixture. Add salt, coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. When it is done, remove from heat and serve hot.

Masala beef curry

Ingredients

1 kg boneless beef, cut into 2 inch cubes

1 big onion, chopped

4 garlic clove, minced

½ cup chopped tomatoes

¼ cup fresh cilantro

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp cumin, ½ coriander

½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp lemon zest

1 tsp brown sugar, ¼ cup oil

½ cup beef stock

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Cook until onions become translucent, for about 3 minutes. Then stir in the chopped tomatoes, brown sugar and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into the food processor and blend all into a paste. Now fry the meat on all sides, pour in the blended spice paste, beef stock and lemon zest. Cover the lid and cook for 40 minutes on medium heat. When it is done and oil floats over all, remove from heat. Serve this incredibly tender and flavourful beef masala curry with rice and chopped cilantro.

Tawa tadka keema

Keema which means minced meat is a traditional South Asian dish. Although consumed in Southern Asia, the terminology is said to be derived from Greek. Typically keema is prepared either as a mildly spiced curry with peas or potatoes. The tawa tadka keema is different from these two traditional preparations and instead is high on whole spices, chilli and with a dash of zesty mango pickle.

Ingredients

500g mince meat

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped garlic

4 tbsp ghee, 3 green chillies

2 tsp red chilli, crushed

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp crushed, fennel seeds

1 tbsp mango pickle paste

4 onions, 2 spring onion

5 tomatoes, 

½ bunch fresh coriander

Salt to taste

Method

Heat ghee in a flat pan or tawa. Sauté onions, ginger and garlic for a few minutes. Add all the spices, tomatoes and pickle paste. Mix and cook well. Then add mince meat, cook for at least 10 minutes and finally put spring onion and fresh coriander. Stir for 1 minute. Remove and serve it on a sizzling platter.

Kakori kebab

The Kakori kebab is a popular North Indian dish. Brought down by the nawabs of Awadh, it was popularised by the British who liked to have Kakori kebab for dinner. It is a now a popular choice for barbecue and formal events. Try out these juicy tender kebab recipes, where minced lamb combined with aromatic spices create lip-smacking, delicious kebabs.

Ingredients

½ kg minced meat, without fat

2 tbsp raw papaya, chopped

Salt to taste

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

¼ tsp black pepper powder

2 tbsp chopped green coriander

Green chilli to taste, chopped

4 cloves

1 black cardamom seed

1/8 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 blade mace

¼ tsp nutmeg powder

2 cups onions, sliced thinly and browned crisp

1/3 cup ghee

¼ cup roasted gram flour, 1 egg

Onion rings and lemon wedges to garnish

Method

Mix all the ingredients, except the ghee, gram flour, egg and garnishes and marinate for about 3 hours. Next, grind to form a smooth, thick paste. Knead this mixture well and mix in the roasted gram flour and egg. Cover and refrigerate for another hour. About 25 minutes before serving, shape the meat around the skewers and place the kebabs on to a grill over a drip tray, or in a pre-heated oven (also on a drip tray). If cooking over a charcoal grill, you will have to keep rotating them so that they brown and cook evenly. It should take 15-20 minutes to cook. Brush with ghee and cook another 2 minutes. When it is done, garnish with onion rings and lemon wedges. Serve hot.

Majlisi kebab

Ingredients

250g mince meat

1 slice of bread, 1 ground onion

1 large chopped onion

4 chopped green chillies

1 tsp garam masala heaped, Salt to taste

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

½ tbsp roasted and crushed coriander

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground mace, 2 tbsp gram flour

3 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

1 tbsp raw papaya paste, ½ tsp kewra water

Onion rings to garnish 

Method

Marinate the mince-meat with all the ingredients except oil, chopped onions, kewra and coriander leaves. Mix well and set aside for 1 hour. Heat oil in a pan and fry 1 large chopped onion till light brown. Add in the marinated mince and fry for 15 minutes till its colour turns to brown on low heat. Add kewra water, and green chilli. Fry for another one minute and remove from heat. Garnish with onion rings and fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed