GHONO MAASH DAAL (WHITE LENTILS)

Ingredients

2 cups maash daal (white lentil)

4 tbsp sliced onion

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

½ tsp ground turmeric

4 to 5 green chilli

2 to 3 chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp panchforon (a mixture of fennel, mustard, fenugreek, cumin, and black cumin)

2 to 3 dry chilli

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped garlic

Salt as needed

¼ cup oil

2 tbsp ghee

1 tsp pickle as condiment

Method

Sauté the dry lentils lightly in a heated pan. Now soak the lentils for about 15 minutes in water. Clean and dry the lentils. Add 4 to 5 cups of water into the pan and start heating. Skim off the white foams as the water starts boiling. Stir in the ginger paste, garlic paste and turmeric. Keep over medium heat.

As the lentil softens and the water starts drying up, add in the green chilli and salt. Stir thoroughly and keep covered over low heat. Heat oil in a separate pan and fry the onion, chopped ginger and garlic until they turn brown. Add the panchforon and dry chilli. Fry for another 2 minutes and pour all ingredients into the other pan with lentils.

Stir in the coriander leaves with lentils. Keep covered for another 2 to 3 minutes. Now mix in the ghee before serving hot. Serve with parathas or rice and pickle on the side.

MUTTON KUNNA WITH SUNFLOWER OIL

Mutton kunna, also known as kunna gosht, is very popular in Asian cuisine. Traditionally kunna gosht is cooked in a round clay pot. This dish uses few spices and cooks for 2-3 hours.

Ingredients

½ cup sunflower oil

1 kg mutton shank, chops (50-60 gram each piece)

1 large onion, chopped

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

1½ tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

½ cup wheat flower mixed water

Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a clay cooking pan and cook the meat for a few minutes on high heat till it changes colour. Turn the heat to medium and add onion, chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes or till the oil separates. Add 5-6 cups of water and cook for 1 hour with the lid on.

When the meat is tender, add the wheat flower mixed water and roasted cumin seeds powder. Mix well and cook for another 15 minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat. Leave for 4-5 minutes and serve hot.

KACHCHI BIRYANI

The term 'kachchi' means raw referring to the biryani ingredients being combined raw in layers instead of first cooking the meat, or rice separately. Traditionally, kachchi biryani is cooked in a clay oven and the cooking pot is usually sealed with flour dough to allow the biryani to cook in its own steam.

The sealed pot is not opened until the biryani is ready to be served.

Kachchi biryani is usually a featured dish for weddings and social gatherings, and celebrations. Layers of meat, rice and potatoes are infused with warm and delectable blends of aromatic spices to prepare kachchi biryani and each spoonful is a mouth-watering surprise.

Ingredients

2 kg mutton (large pieces)

1 kg aromatic or basmati rice

1½ cup ghee

½ kg potatoes, same size

2 cups chopped onions

4 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp chili powder

1½ cup plain yoghurt

1 tsp nutmeg powder

½ mace powder

½ tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp crushed cloves

1 tsp green cardamom powder

10-12 whole black pepper

10 alubukhara

10-12 almonds

¼ cup raisins

3-4 tbsp kewra essence

Salt as needed

Ground turmeric, just a little to add colour

Method

Clean and rinse the mutton. Marinate with 1 tablespoon of salt for half an hour. Clean the mutton again and completely drain out all the water. Set aside.

Fry the onion until they are crisp. Crush the onions lightly into smaller pieces and set aside. Sprinkle a bit of turmeric on the potatoes and fry them in the same ghee. Keep these aside.

Now marinate the mutton with salt, fried onions, ginger, garlic, cumin, chilli powder, cardamom-cinnamon powder, clove and kewra. Pour the marinated mutton along with the mix evenly into a large sauce pan.

Set aside.

In a separate pan, start boiling 6 cups of water with salt. Add rice into the water. As soon as the rice starts to get cooked, turn off the heat and let the water drain. Keep the rice water aside for later use. Add 1 cup of rice water and ½ cup of ghee into the sauce pan containing the mutton.

Cover the pan and let it rest for half an hour. Now layer the fried potatoes, alubukhara, almonds and raisins on top of the mutton. Cover the mutton with rice, and add the remaining rice water and ghee.

Make sure the water only just covers the rice. Seal the cover shut by wrapping an aluminium foil all around. Make sure the cover is air tight and the vapour does not escape. Alternatively, the cover can also be sealed using wet flour dough. Finally, turn on the stove and start cooking over medium heat. After 15 minutes, lower the heat and cook for about an hour. Keep on low heat until both the rice and meat appear soft and cooked. Remove the cover once the very distinct biryani aroma starts to spread. Mix rice and mutton gently before serving. Serve with the usual chutney and the traditional borhani.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Food: The Palace Luxury Resort, Bahubal, Habiganj

Styling assistance provided by RBR

Photos presented as creative visualisations