Category: INDIAN CUISINE

Angoori Kesari Gulab Jamuns … quick, fuss free festive desserts #HappyDiwali

Angoori Kesari Gulab Jamuns … most delicious, surprisingly easy and so fuss free, you’ll wonder why you never made these before! I’ve been making them for years and then I fell off my perch for a bit. The other day, clearing my pantry, I fund a bag of milk powder and before I knew it, we had the most delicious gulab jamuns.

What are gulab jamuns you might wonder? Some passionately call them Indian’s national dessert and they are truly loved across the subcontinent. They are a sweetmeat or mithai popular across the region and are usually made of khoya {milk solids}, plain flour and a leavening agent such as baking powder. They are basically deep fried dough balls that are dunked after frying into a warm rose flavoured sugar syrup and gently swell up absorbing the syrup and becoming soft and delicious. Plump too!

That’s the gist and there are several recipes to get there. Different regions have their own recipes and often ingredients differ as well. I make them with khoya/mawa {a local reduction of milk to give milk solids} as I did in the eggless baked Gulab Jamun Cheesecake, and with milk powder like my mother used to years ago.

Both work pretty well but I like the milk powder recipe better because the ingredients are easier to source and more predictable. The khoya/mawa can sometimes differ across brands and where you buy it from, is sensitive to temperature too.

I like to make the smaller gulab jamuns like these, called angoori gulab jamuns, angoor referring to grapes. These are much smaller than the normal gulab jamuns that you get at mithai shops and somehow feel a little more guilt free!

You can find more INDIAN INSPIRED recipes here!
You can find recipes with SAFFRON here.

Do tag me on Instagram at Passionate About Baking if you make this, or any other recipe from the blog. I’d love to see it!

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Angoori Kesari Gulab Jamuns

Makes 18-20 small gulab jamuns
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Keyword dessert, eggless, homemade, Indian dessert cake, no bake, saffron, simple, vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

Saffron sugar syrup

  • 280 g sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 5 green cardamom choti elaichi
  • Saffron strands
  • 1/2 lime juice of

Dough balls

  • 100 g milk powder
  • 60 g plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 25 g clarified butter/ghee
  • 50-55 g saffron infused milk infused overnight

Oil/ghee for deep frying

Instructions

Saffron sugar syrup

  • Make the syrup first and keep it warm.
  • Add the sugar, water, green cardamom, saffron strands and rose essence to a sauce pan and simmer gently until you get a sticky syrup but NOT a thick one string syrup. If the syrup feels sticky between your finger tips, it’s good to go. If the syrup gets too thick, the dough balls won’t be able to absorb it.
  • Keep the syrup warm while you make the dough.

Dough balls

  • Place the milk powder, plain flour, baking powder, ghee and 45g of the saffron infused milk in the jar of a hand blender. Process until you get a soft dough which comes together smoothly and pulls away from the sides. Add more saffron milk, a tsp at a time, if you need more to get a soft smooth dough.
  • You can even mix this together an a biwl, gradually adding the saafron infused milk and knead it, but the hand blender does a quicker, neater job.
  • Divide the dough into 18-20 grape sized small portions, bringing the dough together tightly by closing your hand into a tight fist, then rolling them while applying pressure to get neat, smooth little dough balls. They might look tiny, but they almost double in size after soaking in the syrup.
  • Heat the oil/ghee over a low medium flame until it’s hot but not smoking.
  • To check the consistency of the dough and heat of the oil, it's best to put one dough ball into the oil gently and deep fry it to check if the ball holds and doesn't split etc.
  • Once that is done, then fry the dough balls in one batch or two, depending on the size of the wok and quanitiy of oil.
  • Fry over a low medium flame, turning the balls with a slotted spoon often to get an even golden brown colour.
  • Once done, remove the balls to a deep dish and immediately pour over the warm saffron sugar syrup. Cover and leave the balls to absorb the syrup. It should take 3-4 hours.
  • Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
  • Note: You can add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of rose essence to the dough if you like.

Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum … winter favourite comfort food

Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum … a one wok / kadhai dish which is certain to tantalise the taste-buds, keep you warm this winter, basically comfort food at its best. The dish has origins in India & Pakistan, a recipe that’s changed hands several times over. It’s quite different from how I used to cook a similar recipe earlier, and this one tastes loads better. It’s quite fuss free, a recipe I from an old aunt.Very often, you’ll find curries and lamb dishes that originate from the Indian subcontinent to have loads of ghee / clarified butter, fried onions, lots of ‘bhunoing‘ or roasting over low flame etc. Often too, the list of spices and ingredients are not everyday pantry ingredients. This Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum is different by way of process and also by way of ingredients. It uses simple everyday spices, the only exception being dried mint. That in any case is a great addition to any kitchen pantry and adds great oomph to food!I love that this is flavoured simply by 3-4 spice powders, coriander {dhania}, turmeric {haldi}, roasted cumin {bhuna zeera}and Kashmiri red chili {degi mirch}. Also, just two herbs here, the more fascinating of them being dried mint. Dried mint adds a certain earthiness and depth to the recipe, one that I haven’t experienced before. I usually use fresh mint since I have loads growing in my patch the year round. Dried mint was refreshing this time around!The rest of the ingredients are very common to Indian curries and stir fries … onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilies, yogurt {Greek yogurt as that’s what I had in the fridge}, and an optional dash of lime juice. And the process is a no brainer too. Take a read!Just cook the mince over low heat for a while, add the spices and chopped ingredients, cover and cook, throw in vegetables if you like. I added capsicum since that’s all I  had. Alternatively, you could use flat beans {sem as we call them here}, peas, potatoes, green chilies or even bitter gourd if you like. Towards the end, Greek yogurt, more fresh coriander {I like to add LOADS}, a dash of lime if you like tangy.Then just give it a squeeze of lime {optional}, slit green chilies {very optional} and a nice drizzle of clarified butter/ghee {MUST}… and enjoy!

I served the Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum with parathas one time, some toasted sheermal {sweetish Indian flatbread} another time. You could even give this a fusion and scoop them up with nachos for a snack with tea or drinks! More ideas … filling for lamb mince samosas!

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Lamb Mince with Capsicum / Keema Capsicum

Lamb Mince with Capsicum / Keema Capsicum ... a one wok / kadhai dish which is certain to tantalise the taste-buds, keep you warm this winter, basically it's comfort food at it's best. The dish has origins in India & Pakistan, a recipe that's changed hands several times over. The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, is fuss free and gluten free as well!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 500 g lamb mince
  • 1 tbsp clarified butter {ghee}
  • 2 large onions finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes finely chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 piece ginger finely chopped
  • 2-3 green chilies finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp dhania powder/ coriander powder
  • tsp ½Kashmiri red chili powder / degi mirch
  • tsp ½haldi powder/ turmeric
  • 2 tsp bhuna zeera powder/ roasted cumin powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 capsicums deseeded, chopped
  • cup ½Greek yogurt whisked
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Fresh coriander to garnish
  • 1 tbsp ghee to finish off

Instructions

  • Heat the glee in a heavy bottom wok. Add the lamb mince, stir well to break up any clumps. Allow to cook uncovered over low heat for 30-45 minutes until it cooks through and begins to change colour.
  • Add the onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chilies, dhania powder, haldi, degi mirch and bhuna zeera powder. Mix well, season with salt, ten cover and leave to cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
  • Stir in the chopped capsicum, then the whisked Greek yogurt. Cook again covered over low heat until the liquid has evaporated 15-20 minutes.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning, add the lime juice if desired, more fresh coriander if you like. Drizzle over a tbsp of ghee.
  • Serve hot with naan, parathas, sheermal or tandoori roti.

Bhune Murgh ki Biryani … delicious one pot rice & chicken Indian meal

“Some foods are so comforting, so nourishing of body and soul, that to eat them is to be home again after a long journey.”
Eli Brown

Bhune Murgh ki Biryani  … fragrant, rich, flavoursome yet very homey. This one pot layered biryani was indeed a surprise, a biryani that cooked up quiet well for once. I have a love/hate relationship with making biryanis, often ending up in a puddle of tears. They never come out the way I’d like them to look and taste, and I had all but given up. This one recipe has given me immense confidence!It’s thanks to this cookbook from Notion Press, A Culinary Journey for the Love of Biryani, that I tasted success. Yet I want to talk about Notion Press first as they offer the novel concept of self publishing in India. It is startups like these that are changing the way books are created. Notion Press is a publishing platform for authors from India that helps create, publish, and distribute print and eBooks. In an attempt to make publishing as easy as possible, they offer a variety of customized publishing solutions. I’m already tempted to say the least, but now, back to the cookbook on hand.I love the feel of a good cookbook and the cover image and design had me immediately interested. Don’t judge a book by the cover they might say, but that’s exactly what I did. It’s a warm , yet beautifully styled cover which tells the story to perfection, spices and all. I couldn’t find credits for the image {maybe I missed it}, but I sorely missed more images within. A single image is not enough to whet my visual appetite…The paper feels good. Quality is important and it’s been taken care of well. The biryani cookbook offers over 100 ‘tantalizing’ recipes, and I have to agree since what I cooked was very promising indeed. Co-authored by Tanuj Singh and Varuna Mathur, it has a good narrative. The foreword is a great read, followed by notes to the readers; light-hearted warm, very homely, very interactive. It leads you to the kitchen and gets you playing with pots and pans almost immediately!
I bookmarked a few recipes, and have to say that the book is not error free. I  think perhaps with self publishing, the onus lies on the content writer, not the publisher. The book would improve with better editing and grammar checks. A couple of recipes skipped the meat altogether. The ingredients are not uniform across the book; sometimes in weight, sometimes a measures, other times a number. Also some capitals, some not is a bit of a distraction. Most importantly, the number of servings are missing across the book. The new cook will certainly be at sea as he/she attempts to guess how many mouths the recipe caters to. And of course, more pictures please. That said, the book is still a keeper!
Finally zeroed down to the Bhune Murgh ki Biryani, trying to play it safe, well aware of my past biryani disasters. The introduction had me smiling. “If ingredients could make a dish, this is one of the top variants in the list. With rice being cooked in cardamom, and chicken in whole spices, cashew and khus khus paste provide that richness and a crunchy edge to the dish thereby rendering it as a pretty common home-style“.For me it turned out to be pretty uncommon and quite a lot of fun. As they say in the notes, the book is “about perceiving cooking as an emerging process with no guidelines, no limitations but loads of creativity and fun.” That was so me, and just what I did. I took shortcuts to the steps, for eg, added whole cardamom to the water to cook rice in. I ground the onion and cashew together with the poppy seeds. I browned the onions first and then cooked the chicken in the same wok and remaining fat to simplify things. I finally baked the biryani layered in a ‘lagan‘ or Indian copper pot in a low oven for about 45 minutes. It still worked well.I am proud to say I have salvaged my reputation quite a bit with this Bhune Murgh ki Biryani from the book. Needless to say, I am already itching to try another one. I find biryanis most comforting, a one pot meal that hold eternal charm, hold nostalgic memories, and are ever so satisfying. The book also includes a few biryani recipes from around the globe which are interestingly unique in their own ways – Durban Biryani, Irani Biryani, Nasi Biryani, Swahili Biryani to name  few. It’s a good book to have on hand. Cuts out the work for weekend lunches! Oh and it offers a variety of pilafs, vegetarian biryanis  and accompaniments too.
My next biryani might be the Kashmiri Biryani or the Matka Murgh Biryani. Perhaps the Sri Lankan Muttom Biryani or Kolkata Biryani. Gosh, the book actually spoils you for choice! You can find it here – A Culinary Journey for the Love of Biryani

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Bhune Murgh ki Biryani {roasted chicken biryani}

The Bhune Murgh ki Biryani is a one pot comfort meal, rich, flavourful and homely. The flavours tease the palette and the chicken is beautifully spiced. It turned out to be deliciously good, and quite a keeper from the biryani cookbook. Be light on the spices if you are cooking for the first time, or like mild food. {Minimally adapted from 'A Culinary Journey for the Love of Biryani'}
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Rice

  • 1 kg basmati rice
  • 8-10 green cardamoms powdered
  • 2 tbsp salt as per taste

Bhuna Chicken

  • 1 kg chicken breast diced in bite sized piece
  • 50 g ginger grated
  • 6-8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp carom seeds {ajwain}
  • 5-7 onions ground to a paste
  • 50 g cashewnuts ground to a paste
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds {khus khus} ground to a paste
  • 5-6 tbsp garam masala
  • 3-4 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder

For frying onions

  • 4 tbsp clarified butter {ghee}
  • 3-4 large onions sliced

For layering dum

  • 5-6 strands saffron soaked in1/2 cup warm milk
  • 2 tbsp clarified butter {ghee}
  • Fried onion slices

Notes

  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Clarified butter {desi ghee} for cooking}
  • Spice content might be adjusted as per taste {I did use a lot less}

Instructions

Rice

  • Wash and soak rice for an hour. Meanwhile, boil some water in a vessel and add salt and green cardamom to it. {I used whole cardamoms}. Once the rice is 3/4th cooked, drain it and keep aside.

Fried onions

  • Heat ghee in a deep wok and fry the sliced onions until golden brown. Drain and reserve. Use remaining ghee for cooking chicken, adding more if required. {This is what I did. The instructions are missing from the recipe}

Bhuna Chicken

  • Heat ghee in a deep kadhai/wok and add grated ginger, garlic, whole red peppers and carom seeds. As the garlic gets brown, add the onion paste and fry. Mix in the cashews and khus khus paste and continue to fry. Sprinkle garam masala powder and Kashmiri red pepper powder and mix it well. Cook until the fat starts showing at the surface, adding water occasionally as required.
  • Add the chicken pieces and let them cook over high flame till the chicken is cooked. Stir as needed. {I cooked over high heat for 5 minutes, then covered and simmered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until done}.

Layer the dum {slow cooking}

  • Once the chicken is cooked, add the rice to cover the chicken masala. Sprinkle the saffron and milk mixture on it along with some ghee and fried onions. Cover the lid and cook on 'dum' for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

  • I layered the chicken masala and rice for final 'dum' {slow cooking} in a heavy bottom metal 'lagan' / pot, dotted it with ghee, sprinkled over the soaked saffron and milk, topped it with fried onions, and sealed the mouth with heavy duty aluminium foil. Baked it at 150C for an hour.
  • I reserved some fried onions for garnishing, and served the biryani with a garlic raita/spiced garlic yogurt.

Chicken Jalfrezi … a quick version of the Indo-Chinese stir fry curry

 “Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.”
Dorothy Day

Chicken Jalfrezi is a fiery as you like it, and a very popular stir fry curry in the UK, a recipe thought to have originated during the British Raj to use up left over meats. As time went by, there was a shift from mild curries to spicy hot ones on the continent, and the jalfrezi gained popularity. We visited the UK often in the late 1990’s. Next to the chicken tikka masala, this Indo Chinese dish was possibly the most popular.

You can basically ‘build it as you like’, throwing in left over meats to stir fry or do it from scratch. Either which ways, it’s a really quick stir fry to get going, one that comes together in under 30 minutes. Having the meat/chicken marinated ahead  is great if you have time. Marinate with a little ginger-garlic paste, maybe a dash of lime juice and salt. As with any good dish, use good quality ingredients and you know you have a winner.

My version of Chicken Jalfrezi has a slight southern or rather coastal touch with some coconut milk added to offset the fiery hot chilies. Like any good curry, this one too is entirely customisable to taste. I used star anise in the first tempering, a spice I have increasingly grown to love while shooting spices for the Masala Dabba. Post the trip it into the heart of South India to Karaikudi, the love for simple spices like these just became stronger.

I love a curry where tomato meets coconut milk, and with the ease of Dabur Hommade Tomato Puree, Dabur Hommade Ginger Garlic Paste and Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk in my pantry, this recipe was a breeze. Most Indian curries see the use of onions, tomato {puree or fresh chopped}, ginger garlic paste and a smattering of spices, both ground and whole. As you travel along the coastal areas of the Indian peninsula, an increased use of coconut milk in curries teases the palette, a taste that has grown on me. Dabur Hommade is one of the first brands in India to introduce expediency in cooking in Indian kitchens. What makes Dabur even more special is that it is a science based  Ayurveda company. Play with spices as you like, give the vegetables just  a quick stir fry so they don’t lose their crunch. This Chicken Jalfrezi made essentially with peppers, green chilies, onions and tomatoes gets a twist of taste with coconut milk. And yes I sneaked in some Greek yogurt to add to the creaminess. If you like a thick hearty curry which is a quick and easy stir fry, gives you a dose of vegetables, then look no further. This just might be what you were looking for!

Some favourite recipes where I use coconut milk
Kokum Coconut Milk Panna Cotta 
Tropical Coconut Milk Rice Pudding
Quick Tomato Coconut Soup

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Chicken Jalfrezi

This Chicken Jalfrezi made essentially with peppers, green chilies, onions and tomatoes gets a delicious twist of taste with coconut milk. If you like a thick hearty curry which is a quick and easy stir fry, gives you a dose of vegetables, then look no further. This just might be what you were looking for!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 400 g thigh boneless
  • 2 tsp ghee
  • 2 gundu chilies
  • 2 star anise
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Dabur ginger garlic paste
  • 1 onion diced into 1" pieces
  • 1/2 red bell pepper 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced into 1" pieces
  • 1 capsicum diced into 1" pieces
  • 200 ml Dabur tomato puree
  • 100 ml Dabur coconut milk
  • 50 ml Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander finely chopped
  • 2-3 green chilies {optional}
  • 2-3 green chilies {optional}

Instructions

  • Heat clarified butter/ghee in a heavy bottom large pan/wok.
  • Add the red chilies and star anise and sauté briefly until fragrant.
  • Add chicken pieces in one flat lot, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden brown over high heat, turn and repeat.
  • Remove chicken pieces from pan, and keep warm in a covered bowl.
  • Add a teaspoon of clarified butter if required. Add the diced onions and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until fragrant.
  • Add turmeric powder/haldi, coriander powder/dhania and red chili powder if desired. Sauté for 30 seconds.
  • Now add the bell peppers and capsicum. Sauté again for 3-4 minutes, then add the reserved chicken. Mix briefly, then add the tomato puree and coconut milk.
  • Stir and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the green chilies and fresh coriander, then simmer further for 5 minutes Serve hot with rice or naan.

Chole Masala / Curried Spicy Chickpeas

‘Hard & dry, a chickpea is inedible. Hard & dry, a heart is unlovable.
Presoak it in dance, music & art.’
Khang Kijarro Nguyen

Chole Masala / Curried Spicy Chickpeas  the way my Mum makes them. Try as I might, my chole masala flavours are always different, the taste not quite not same. Must be a thing of the hand, the way she cooks them, but it’s a simple dish which makes me hungry for more. So now I let her make them for me which she gladly does. Chole Masala / Curried Spicy Chickpeas  is a quintessential recipe from the Indian sub continent, one of the most popular perhaps. Every house has it’s own recipe, and you can keep them as spicy or light as you like. The Chole Masala / Curried Spicy Chickpeas are a meal in themselves, a treat for someone like me who would rather just enjoy them like a one bowl meal. Sliced onions to top them, finely sliced green chilies, a squeeze of lime juice, sometimes some crispies sneaked in! You get the drift!! 

My mother often calls me in a hurry to pick them up as she makes them, wanting us to enjoy them warm. Often as things go, I am out or in the middle of something. The good thing about her cholas are that she makes them in large quantities, and they taste even better after an overnight rest. All you need to do is reheat them and dig in! That’s just where this the latest addition to my kitchen is quite handy.The Milton MicroWoW Casserole is microwaveable {dishwasher proof too} with stainless steel inside which makes it absolutely unique. It allows you to microwave your food and also retain heat of the food in the same casserole for 4 hours. Such an innovative concept; one we loved the minute we heard of it.

Like me, if you set curd/yogurt at home everyday, this casserole doubles up as a curd maker. With winter around the corner, when I am constantly looking for warm spots for the curd to set, I think my search ends here! Until then, this is a great way to store ice cream for a short while. Seems to pack quite a punch, quite like the Chole Masala / Curried Spicy Chickpeas !My mum’s recipe is simple, and a little different from how I cook them. Most of her recipes, like this one, are based on andaaz, or eyeballing of ingredients. A little of this, a pinch of that, toss something in. Oh did I forget that? Never mind, maybe next time. I’m sure it’ll taste fine, a little different perhaps. As all mothers cook, recipes are generally ‘taste as you go‘, and that’s the best way to cook really!

I love the idea of new kitchen gadgets, cookware & bakeware, also the fact that there is so much creativity out there. I think the casserole is going to very handy & welcome in my kitchen as I’m out of home a fair bit too. The feeling that I’ve left the option of warm food for someone is comforting! How do you folk manage?

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Choley Masala / Curried Spicy Chickpeas

Chole Masala / Curried Spicy Chickpeas is a quintessential recipe from the Indian sub continent, one of the most popular perhaps. Every house has it's own recipe, and you can keep them as spicy or light as you like. This is my mums. Most of her recipes, like this one, are based on andaaz, or eyeballing of ingredients. A little of this, a pinch of that, toss something in.
Course Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

Chana Masala

  • 500 g chola/dried chickpeas soaked overnight
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1 tsp whole black pepper
  • 2-3 black cardamom
  • Salt to taste
  • 1-2 onions finely sliced
  • 1" piece ginger finely chopped
  • 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 3 tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 tsp chana masala

Garnish

  • Ginger jullienes,green chilies, sliced onions, fresh coriander, lime

Instructions

  • Drain the overnight soaked chickpeas, wash well, and place in pressure cooker with enough water to cover them, about an inch over.
  • Cook under pressure on simmer for a 45 minutes to an hour until soft and almost double in size.
  • Meanwhile, add 1 tbsp mustard oil to a heavy bottom wok/kadhai.
  • Add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Make sure they don't get dark brown or the flavour gets bitter.
  • Add the ginger, green chilies or red chili powder if using, or both, chana masala and tomatoes.
  • Saute over low heat until the tomatoes are mushy soft and leave oil.
  • Add the cooked soft chickpeas and toss well to mix in masala, reserving the liquid for later. Add as much of the liquid as you like, stir well, adjust seasoning, turn the whole prep back into the cooker and give the chickpeas one more pressure. This will allow the spices/masalas to be absorbed by the chickpeas.
  • Serve with naaan or rice. Or like me, serve in a bowl with a squeeze of lime juice, sliced onions, ginger, fresh coriander and some sneaked in crispies!

Dhungaar-e-Keema or Smoked Lamb Mince #comfortfood #Indiancuisine

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”
Ruth Reichl

Dhungaar-e-Keema  or Smoked Indian Lamb Mince is a quintessential recipe from the Indian subcontinent, one that is as simple as it is flavourful. The recipe is quite basic, the underlining key words characteristically ‘andaaz‘ and ‘bhuno‘, terms very familiar to how we cook in this region. Andaaz referring to eyeballing ingredients, and bhuno, ‘the quintessential stirring and roasting’ that gives Indian cuisine its essential character. Be it kebabs, kormas, bhuna gosht or then keema like this, the spice mixes are generally region specific. This Dhungaar-e-Keema or Smoked Lamb Mince is minimally adapted from an old one from @ My Tamarind Kitchen, a blog written by Scotland based Sumayya.It’s an old familiar recipe, one that has roots across this region, North India and Pakistan. It’s strange how similar the culinary vocabulary and cooking methods are. My mother and her friends, who I owe a lot of my initial recipe repertoire to, always had the same two favourite words, ‘andaaz’ and ‘bhuno’. The  story was the same with my aunts who I used to pursue relentlessly in an attempt hone my abysmal cooking skills. These words were firmly rooted in the North Indian cooking lingo of the past, a reflection of how recipes have evolved down the ages. We’re down to measures now – teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, grams, ounces in cookbooks, yet ‘andaaz ‘or eyeballing in Indian cooking still rules the kitchen!For recipes other than baking I still pretty much eyeball what goes in, merrily tasting and tossing as I stir. Andaaz is my way to go too. No better way to cook I’d say, though maybe not the ideal ‘cookbook’ for newcomers on the scene, or for people alien to a particular cuisine. The good thing is that I am an obsessive ‘picture taker’ for steps of cooking, and especially when cooking with spices as they keep me fascinated. As a result of that, I usually know how the recipe has progressed and what went it.

This time was of course no different even though I followed Sumayyas recipe pretty much. The steps were familiar since most of our curries follow the same pattern. The only thing different about her recipe was that no powdered spices were included, something that I found quite interesting. I don’t think I’ve cooked often with only a smattering of whole spices and not even a single teaspoon of coriander powder or turmeric.

I did add a few whole spices of my own though. Star anise for one. A new found love for a spice I barely cared for. Shooting for our Masala Dabba series I fell in love with it because of the way it looked. So I included it in a sangria, then in a panna cotta. Then one trip into the heart of South India to Karaikudi,and I was sold on it. It’s quite an integral part of Chettinad cuisine, often thrown in in wild abandon, the aromas filling the air the minute star anise hits hot oil.

Also in went bay leaves, a gift from the garden of my mother’s friend who lives in the UK, but grew up here in India. She carried a bag for us, for me especially, since she knows how fond we are of her recipes, a lot of them inspired from Pakistan. She influenced a lot of my recipe and cooking processes when I had just got married, gingerly stepping into the kitchen for the first time. The rest of course is history …  the recipe follows!

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Cooking | Dhungaar-e-Keema or Smoked Lamb Mince

Dhungaar-e-Keema or Smoked Indian Lamb Mince is a quintessential recipe from the Indian subcontinent, one that is as simple as it is flavourful. The recipe is quite basic, the underlining key words characteristically ‘andaaz‘ and ‘bhuno‘, terms very familiar to how we cook in this region. Andaaz referring to eyeballing ingredients, and bhuno, the quintessential 'stirring and roasting’ that gives Indian cuisine its essential character.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Keema

  • 500 g lamb mince
  • 1 cup homemade full fat yoghurt whisked smooth
  • 3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • 2 medium onions finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste

Whole garam masala

  • 1 cinnamon stick {dalchini}
  • 3-4 cloves {long}
  • 3-4 small green cardamom {elaichi}
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds {saunf}
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds {zeera}
  • 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds {dhania}
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 green chilies
  • 1 big bunch fresh coriander chopped
  • 1 lime
  • 3 tbsp Ghee/ clarified butter or oil
  • 1 piece of coal

Instructions

  • Heat some ghee/clarified butter in a heavy bottom and add the khara masala/whole spices and saute until fragrant. Throw in the chopped onions and stir fry until light golden brown on the edges. Add the ginger garlic and saute for a further 2-3 minutes, until the raw smell has disappeared.
  • Now add all the chopped tomatoes and roast well until almost dry, then add the mince. Stir in well to mix, then roast over high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Season with salt.
  • Then add the yogurt, stirring constantly to roast/bhuno until the yogurt has been absorbed and is no longer white. Cover the wok/pan with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to lowest, allowing the mince to slow cook in it's own juices.
  • Check once in a while to make sure it isn't catching the bottom, giving it a quick stir. A heavy bottom good quality pan really works well here. cook until the liquid has evaporated and the colour is nice and reddish brown. As Sumayya says, 'bhuno-ing the keema is key!'
  • Add loads of fresh chopped coriander and green chilies. Cover and allow to dam for a about 5 minutes, then turn off heat and let it stand. I f you wish to smoke the mince, please see instructions below.
  • Smoking the Keema: Light up a piece of coal over the gas fire. Make a tiny bowl with an aluminium foil. Place the hot burning coal in it and quickly drizzle a few drops of melted ghee/clarified butter over it. The coal will begin smoking immediately. Tightly shut the lid and leave for about 15-30 minutes.
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