Mutton Saagwala

Today made this lovely Saagwaala Mutton . Spinach and Methi leaves impart a wonderful flavor to the mutton pieces . You can marinate well in advance if you have enough time in hand . This not only makes the mutton tender but the flavor of the marinade is completely absorbed by the pieces . This yummy dish goes equally well with naan or pulav .

Ingredients :


1/2 kg ........................mutton pieces ( lamb)
2 bunches .....................spinach
1 cup ..........................fresh methi leaves ( 1 tbsp dry kasuri methi will do)
4 tbsp..........................ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp..........................green chilly paste
1 tbsp.........................turmeric powder
2 tsbp.........................garam masala ( nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, pepper )
2 big ..........................onions chopped
4 tbsp.........................oil
salt

Method :


Clean wash and cut the lamb pieces into medium size.

Clean the spinach and use the leaves as well as stems if tender.

Pick the methi if using a fresh bunch.

If using dry kasuri methi wash it thoroughly to remove any unwanted particles.

Now marinate mutton with both the pastes , salt and all dry masalas for 2 to 3 hours.

Pressure cook it for 25 to 30 minutes or till well cooked and soft.

Also boil spinach and methi in just enough boiling water for only 5 minutes .

Drain and retain the water in which you boil spinach.

Grind spinach and methi and keep aside.

In a pan heat oil and stir fry onions till golden .

Add cooked mutton and saute till water evaporates and oil is separated.

Take out the mutton in a bowl.

Now in a same pan saute ground spinach again till almost dry and oil starts separating.

Now add mutton and just little spinach water if needed.

Cook well and serve hot along with onions and lemon wedges.

Tip :


Heat the coal directly on the gas flame till read hot .

In a small steel bowl keep this hot coal in a small steel bowl .

Keep this bowl in the vesssel having mutton.

Pour a tbsp of oil on it and immediately cover the lid tightly.

This imparts a lovely tandoori aroma to the dish .

Kashmiri Chicken Kalia

This is an authentic Kashmiri dish . The gravy is thin but very tasty. Kashmiris usually make this Chicken Kalia for functions and special occasions .


Enjoy it with pulav or naan.

Ingredients :


1 kg ...................Chicken pieces ( with bones)
1 tbsp................. turmeric powder
2 / 3 tbsp.............chilli powder
5 / 6 ..................cloves
2 / 3 ................ cinnamon pieces
2 /3 .................bay leaves
1 cup ................curd ( beat well )
4 / 5 ................. cardamoms
2 ......................big masala cardamoms ( moti elaichi )
5 / 6 tbsp  ........oil
salt

To be ground to paste :

2 ........................ onions
2 tbsp .................fennel seeds
2 inch..................ginger
1/2 tsp.................cumin seeds
1 tbsp..................coriander seeds
1/2 tsp................. pepper seeds
2 / 3  ..................cloves
2 / 3 ...................cardamoms
1/2 inch .............cinnamon



Method :


Clean and wash the chicken very well.

Cut it into medium sized pieces.

Marinate the pieces with salt , turmeric and chilly powder and keep for at least 1 hour.

Now grind all the ingredients given in the list .

In a pan heat oil and add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and both  type cardamoms .

Now add the ground onion paste and saute for 10/ 15 minutes .

Saute till the raw smell of masala disappears and oil starts separating .

Now add marinated chicken pieces, stir well and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the curd and very little water if necessary .

Cover the lid and cook on slow flame till chicken is fully cooked.

Serve hot with kashmiri pulav or naan .

Farasbichi bhaji ( French beans stir fry )

This simple stir fry made with this french beans is ideal to carry in a  tiffin and can be had with rotis as well as daal rice.

Ingredients :


1/2 kg.......................French beans
2 to 3 ................green chillies ( slit in two)
1 tsp.................mustard seeds
1/2 tsp..............turmeric powder
1/4 tsp..................asefoetida
1/2 tsp.................sugar
2 tbsp....................oil
1/2 cup...............fresh grated coconut
salt

Method :


Wash the french beans thoroughly and remove the strings.

Chop them into 1/2 cm pieces.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

When they splutter add asefoetida and slit chillies.

Now add chopped beans and turmeric powder.

Add sugar and salt and stir for 2 mintues.

Sprinkle some water and cook , covered with a lid.

The stir fry will be ready in 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve garnished with grated coconut.

Phanas Phodi ( Shallow Fried Bread Fruit Slices )

Saraswat community is famous for their unusual variety of side dishes and these shallow fried slices of vegetables are one of them .

We saraswats literally make use of any vegetables to make these phodis as we call it .

Today I have made phodis of Bread Fruit. Havind phodis , Thoya ( watery daal ) and rice is a heavenly combinationa .

Ingredients

1 ..................raw jackfruit ( Bread fruit / Neer phanas )
1/2 cup...........rawa ( semolina )
1 tbsp..............rice flour ( optional )
2 tsp................chilly powder
1/2 tsp..............turmeric powder
1 tsp.................karwari sambar powder
1/4 tsp..............hing ( asefoetida )

salt
oil for shallow frying

Method

Remove the rough skin on the bread fruit and cut it into slices.

Apply little salt and keep aside for half and hour.

Mix all the masala powders with rawa.

Heat the tawa and smear it with oil.

Wash the  slices to remove the saltiness and drain out the water if any.

Roll them in the dry rawa mixture and shallow fry on tawa

Turn after 5 minutes and cook till crisp and done on both sides.

Serve hot with daal rice.