KHOYA DIYE MUTTON

Mutton is a love & I sincerely hope this love remains with me so long my teeth can bear them. Same is my feelings about Ilish. You see, in few hours from now I will go for that monthly meet I look forward to. Both of us bond over food, we gorge on some food and I carry whatever I can thinking at least for two days someone can eat home cooked food. In a wider perspective, I have a tendency to christen everyone who is not a Bengali into a Bengali through our kind of food. I am carrying today "ruti, bhaat, mutton er jhol, shukto, maacher matha diye dal, patla dimer jhol, katlar jhal." "Why aren't you taking a piece of ilisher jhol S?" See ilish is our part of being, it requires some kind of a ground work to prepare a non-Bengali mind to have Ilish, they have to love it to have it. I cannot take in that expression of displeasure in someone's face while served an ilish. At this moment that person is getting used to me cooked mutton and liking it too.... else that family eats only chicken. Once landed here, I said try it, let us have mutton together.... do not try pork if it is not your heart's call, "no beef" stand did not cause me any harm. Just now I remember I am not carrying any sweet today for the one hailing from a dessert loving family. I felt the quickest something can be some banana muffins. I just asked Cristine to bring the ingredients to normal temperature. I must square up early today sharing this easy, one pot, time consuming non-vegetarian meat recipe with mutton & reduced milk KHOYA DIYE MUTTON. 

It's a happening day for me, after a late lunch session, I will go to M Centre's special section and gift myself little something. The husband cannot ever say that I have crossed limits. I know people here who buy yearly gold ornaments worth 8-10k $, when it comes to kid's future..... "no, we do not have enough to fund in Europe or elsewhere." It is not like that.... there are a couple of very good colleges in Southern & Western parts of India.... we would gladly want to if the son had any interest. The man says if I know I can help him fulfil his dream, why not try it? I am quick to say, "thank your wife, she does not start her day at Starbucks & ends at Nando's".. 

Do you smell something in this attitude of my man? Ofcourse he had a dream similar to his son, will not admit in public. I told him, "do not care about who did what to you, this will hold no meaning when you reach where you wish to. As of me, I can fund your fees in any university of West Bengal from the honorium I get giving tuitions in case you do not wish to pressurise your father. My daddy can arrange the quickest educational loan through his bank." That was two friends in talk, no question of a romantic liaison as such. No, he had to earn money a lot at the earliest. [dekh boss, jiboney ek haath nilam boley kichu hoyna, karor jonyo kichui eshey jaina hoyto, humans are born to fight it and live] I would always love a Partha Dey for telling him "your industry did not require you.".... I will always be angry with Partha for abandoning mutton so early. "hojom kortey parina abar ki? mashey ekdin kheti." Anyway, if I am in mood, I will share what I did since Sunday in my personal stream today. Let me share this non-vegetarian, mutton recipe KHOYA DIYE MUTTON with you. Though my men are fond of lamb, I do not get always for the price factor.... they however enjoyed it one day with poori / paratha / ruti, the next day with pulao or vice-versa, it is not necessary to remember that. We had a "sheem dal o dhonepata sheem" also alongside that day.

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE INSTANT KHOYA / SEMI SOLIDIFIED MILK]

POWDERED MILK : 1SMALL TEA CUP

FULL CREAM MILK : 1/4SMALL TEA CUP

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 2TBSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE MAIN DISH]

MUTTON : 1KG [MEDIUM CUT DO I PREFER]

THE INSTANT KHOYA 

GARLIC PASTE: 2-3TBSP

ONION PASTE : 1MEDIUM 

GINGER PASTE : 2TSP

TANDOORI MASALA : 1TBSP

CINNAMON POWDER : 1/2TSP

GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/4TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 11/2TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP

LEMON JUICE : 1/3SMALL TEA CUP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

PROCEDURE :

Wash the mutton and drain the water. Marinate the mutton with lemon juice + garlic paste + ginger paste + onion paste + tandoori masala + red chilli powder + turmeric powder + salt.

Mix very well and refrigerate the marinated mutton in a sealed container for at least 5-6 hours, refrigerating overnight gives you the best result. 

Take out the mutton an hour before we would cook it.

Heat an wok to the smoking point. Add the mutton along with the marinade. Stir at high heat for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to minimal.

Now cover cook at minimal heat for 40 -45 minutes, checking in between. A lot of water will release, we need not worry at all.

At this point, add the cinnamon + green cardamon powders to the wok and stir well.

Add 2 -3 coffee mugs of warm water and cover cook at minimal heat for another 35-40 minutes.

[ we usually add cinnamon & cardamom powder just 2-3 minutes before taking it down, in my case the curry turns darker if so.... hence I add them early and simmer. Its been long I am not getting the right kind of red chilli.... where is that "laal mangshor jhol?"]

Meanwhile, we have mixed together the milk powder, full cream milk and the ghee / cleared butter. We will microwave it at high for 3 minutes.... pausing after every 1 minute. I learnt it from an youtube video, the ratio is mine.

We would add 1/3 of the amount to the wok and fold in well. We would again cover cook for another 5-7 minutes. Take down, transfer to a bowl and garnish with the rest of the khoya / semi solidified milk.

It better goes with all bread and pulao or fried rice varieties.