Maghaz masala

Ingredients

Maghaz (brain) 2 (goat)Turmeric powder ½ tspGinger/garlic paste 1 tspLemon juice 2 tbsOnions, finely chopped 1 cupTomatoes, finely chopped ½ cupGreen chillies, finely chopped 2 tbsFresh coriander, chopped 2 tbsWhole cumin 1 tspCrushed red chillies 1 tspSalt to tasteOil ½ cupGaram masala powderto sprinkle over ½ tsp

With Baqr Eid just a couple of days away it’s time to brush up some meaty recipes

Method

Place the maghaz in a small pan with one cup water. Add turmeric, ginger/garlic paste and one tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to boil; cover and simmer on low heat for two minutes. Let it cool and then remove the skin, chop maghaz into large pieces and set aside.

In another shallow pan, heat oil, add onion and fry till it turns golden. Add cumin and crushed red chilli along with maghaz pieces. Fry gently for two minutes so as to not crush the maghaz.

Add tomatoes, green chillies and coriander and mix quickly. Turn off the stove, pour remaining lemon juice over and mix well.

Dish up, sprinkle garam masala on top and enjoy with chapatti or naan.

Namkeen fried mutton chops

Ingredients

Chops 12 cleaned and pounded well to flattenSalt 1 tspBlack pepper 1 tsp Garlic freshly ground 1 tsp Green yoghurt chutney to serve withMixed salad

Method

Marinate mutton chops with spices. Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry mutton chops until golden on each side. Take out and place on a bed of fresh salad. Enjoy with green yoghurt chutney!

Yakhni pulao

Ingredients

Mutton boneless 1 ½ kgMutton bones 1 kgSella rice 1 kgFor bouquet garni (potli):Fennel seeds 2 tbspWhole coriander seeds 2 tbspOnion 1Garlic 1 bulbMuslin cloth for bouquet garniWater about 1 ½ jugSalt as neededWhole garam masala 1 tbspSliced onion 1 cupGinger/garlic paste 1 tbspOil or ghee ¼ cup

Method

Wash the meat and bones and place in a large deep pan with water.

Double the muslin cloth and put fennel seeds, coriander seeds, whole onion and garlic bulb and tie to make a potli. Drop it in the pan with meat and place on a medium heat.

Let it cook until meat is tender and the broth is reduced and aromatic in about an hour or so. Squeeze and discard the potli.

Strain the yakhni and keep aside. In a large shallow pan, add ¼ cup oil and fry the onions until golden. Save half of the onions for garnish and add garam masala to the remaining half. Fry for few seconds, add boiled mutton, and fry until golden.

Add ginger/garlic paste and salt and fry for few seconds. Add yakhni and let it boil.

Add pre soaked sella rice and cook until tender, flaky and all the yakhni is absorbed.

Take out in a large dish and garnish with fried onions.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, September 11th, 2016