CURRY AND SPICE: OIL FREE MINCED MUTTON CURRY

ONCE UPON A TIME; THE WORDS MUTTON & SALIVA SEEMED CO-RELATED!

The very word mutton did make me salivate! May be because of their price, hilsa & mutton always remained exclusive items in the lives of the Bengali middle class. Bengal or Kolkata would increase the gap of getting the two home, but hardly would compromise with the quality. On several occasions, my parental family compromised with the size of a hilsa but never with it's freshness or quality. If the seller dupes you is a different issue, it has happened with me in Kolkata! There is no dearth of fraudulent people there; else mutton and hilsa are usually the best tasted in my home state. One need not require to be a great cook or use an array of spices to get a good tasting mutton and hilsa dish; at least the Bengalis do not require must of cream, dry fruits and nuts, essences in our curries. I personally cannot have a dish that is overly dressed. Food should be as simple as possible to win my heart but it has to be well cooked. Food cooked hurriedly in high heat is not a thing I have grown up watching or appreciating. We are not Orientals, why should we? For the same reason, I am not the right person to cook Oriental food; my hands do not move so swift, my gas burners prefer to remain timid all the time. About that once up a time thing; here in this tropical island, we do not get that breed of mutton, neither hilsa. Very recently, what Mustafa Centre sells as goat meat for 35.90$ per kilogram seems to be near to the Kolkata Mutton. To me, it is not a wise idea to always buy a mutton at that price or a hilsa for 70-75$. There are two reasons why I do not; I cannot get out of my middle class frame. Secondly; the mutton and hilsa are still not fresh but chilled, frozen been air flown. Then, why should I?

ITS A LAZY DAY SINCE MORNING; NO PLANS FOR COOKING OR TO GO ASTRAY!

There are some days like today when I have nothing as such to do. The man has office this week until Wednesday. I have no client to serve today. I planned not to go out of my home; else I will again end up eating out. Yesterday, we were at a friend's home and had a lovely lunch picked up from Jaggi's. Today, I had to be homebound; I could not go for a swim, as I had an eyebrow embroidery done few days back. What to do the entire morning was biting me! All our indoor plants got a shower. Cristine got me a good half-an-hour body massage and I danced to some Bollywood music without knowing anything about the art form, dancing. But moving and shaking your body helps. After the shower, prayer and lunch; I was almost dozing off but I want to add something to my blog! I am doing that job; writing a RECIPE POST! I do not know what I am writing, my brain is perhaps in sleep mode. But I think of food even when I am sleeping; I have sent Cristine to the mall to get a Japanese Cheese Cake and a Mac's Strawberry Sunday. I did not get a cheese cake ever since the son left home; let us have some. It was smelling egg too for a while, I dislike the smell of eggs in desserts. I dislike the raw smell of any non-vegetarian items. This minced MUTTON CURRY too is cooked with love in slow heat to rob off any smell. I wish to end this day on a lazy note. We have spent the entire day beautifully yesterday, else the man has got too stuck at home; he is seen either in his office or lying on his couch. "See if you can you please stop smoking and drinking regular" pleas are given a deaf ear. I so wish to take him for walks, to the sea side, roam around, have some food; I am always content with the company of my own; who listens? Anyway, we at least eat our meals together. Because he has office tomorrow, I got that cheese cake, else it is difficult to feed him any extra food if stationed at home!

I am feeling better after having the Sunday; the head got clearer. One is shared between me and Cristine, else my blood sugar level spikes. I will not touch the cheese cake today but will do some "chirey-badam bhaja" to go with my evening tea. I started eating at 2:20pm and it will stop at 10pm for the day!

WHAT IS OIL FREE MINCED MUTTON CURRY?

It is nothing special; only the MINCED MUTTON is cooked without oil. Yes, I know red meat is not good for health; I believe it all depends upon the frequency and amount of having it. When the son was at home; such kinds were perhaps made every week; now we have lessened the intake. I can remain happy with "mocha, echor, paneer, potol, kochu, thor, palong, pui, kumro, lau, chalkumro, laal shak, kolmi, kancha kola, chuno maach, shutki maach but the rest need fleshy fish, meats. I find minced mutton easy to cook and good to have in a land where our kind of goat meat is not available! Having MUTTON MINCE CURRY is not new to me; I think I used to have it in my grand parent's home as a child; definitely in my parent's home all through! MINCED MEAT is an economic option and supremely tasty if you are a meat lover. For us; myself, the man, son, brother, even our parents; now for Cristine too; a bowlful of this OIL FREE MINCED MUTTON CURRY with or without potatoes with some chapati or rice is a bliss. It they had enough salad, I would have brought down our meals to an one main dish thing! They do not, I feed them three to four dishes! This NON VEGETARIAN CURRY is nothing unique; just that the marination period is more using good amount of yogurt and spices. I think I should call my parental home and ask them to attempt at oil-free meat preparations! There you are, I made my own "chirey bhaja" in microwave, I do have the recipe in the blog; the black coffee is yet to arrive!

INGREDIENTS :

MINCED MUTTON [GOAT OR LAMB MEAT] : 500 GM

PLAIN YOGURT : 150 GM

LEMON JUICE : 2-3 TBSP

ONION PASTE : 2-3 TBSP

GINGER PASTE : 2 TSP

GARLIC PASTE : 11/2 TBSP

CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER : A HANDFUL

RED CHILLI POWDER : 2 TBSP [USE AS PER YOUR TOLERANCE LEVEL]

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

CINNAMON POWDER : 1/4 TSP

GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/4 TSP

CLOVES POWDER : 2-3 PINCH

SALT : AS REQUIRED

PROCEDURE :

We will take the minced mutton on a strainer and wash thoroughly. I do not like any residual blood on it. We will transfer it to a bowl.

To it, we will add the beaten yogurt, ginger+onion+garlic pastes; turmeric+cumin+coriander+red chilli powders+salt and marinate well. We will keep it covered in the refrigerator, anywhere between 2 to 3 hours. We will take it out half an hour before cooking!

We will heat a wok and add the marinated minced mutton to it along with the marinade. We will stir cook at low heat for 2-3 minutes!

We will reduce the heat to minimal and cover cook for 15-16 minutes. We must remove cover and check the status every 3-4 minutes. We must check the level of water release.

After about 20 minutes, it will look like the above. We will add the lemon juice+ cinnamon powder+ green cardamom powder+ cloves powder+1 coffee mug of water.

We will give a stir and slow cook for another 4-5 minutes, add the washed and chopped coriander and again give a stir. We should be done!