Lamb Kofta

Been drooling over Kofta ever since I started watching the Aussie cooking challenge show "My Kitchen Rules". Browsed for the recipe on their home page and found many variations of Kofte. Finally I chose to go with this recipe that suits my families palette.

Recipe Source: Adapted from "My Kitchen Rules"

Ingredients:

Lamb mince - 500 gms
Onion - 1 no, finely chopped
Green chillies - 3 nos, finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1½ tbsp
Fennel powder - 1½ tbsp
Coriander leaves - handful, finely chopped
Mint leaves - handful, finely chopped
Salt
Wooden skewers

Instructions:

• Soak the wooden skewers in water; else it will get burnt when placed in grill.
• Mix all of the remaining ingredients using your hands and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
• Take a small portion of the mixture, roll into ball shape, flatten lengthwise and roll it on a skewer; repeat with the remaining skewers.
• Refrigerate the rolled skewers for 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat the grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grill.
• Place koftas on the preheated grill and spray cooking oil over.
• Cook the kofta until it reaches your required doneness; turn when the top part has changed brown in colour. Roll the koftas and make sure it has browned on all sides.
• Serve with mint flavoured yoghurt dip.

Note:

Lamb Koftas can be made on stove top if grill option is unavailable. Roll the koftas and fry on a non-stick pan.

Beef Fry

I learnt to make Beef fry from my Mootha(aunt) and she had learnt this from our neighbour, Rahmath aunty. The Beef fry that aunty makes is just awesome. Her secret ingredient is paste made from whole dry Kashmiri chilli. Now to simplify it, I've just used the powder. Here is my slight variation of Rahmath aunty's Beef fry.

Sathya loves it to be semi-dry consistency; this can be made either gravy or a very dry consistency like beef varattiyathu.

Recipe Source : Rahmath aunty

Ingredients:

Beef - 750 grams
Onions - 2, finely sliced
Ginger - ½ tbsp, finely grated
Garlic - 1½ tbsp, finely grated
Tomatoes - 2, sliced
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 2  nos, 1 inch stick
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1½ tbsp
Red hot chilli powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Salt
Oil

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon and sliced onions.
• Fry the onions until it changes to golden brown.
• Add grated ginger, garlic and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
• Add the turmeric, kashmiri chilli, red hot chilli, coriander powders and roast till it is fragrant.
• Add in sliced tomatoes and let it turn soft.
• Add the cleaned beef pieces and fry till the mixture gets coated well with beef.
• Pressure cook the beef.
• When the beef is cooked, transfer the contents to a non-stick pan and roast it till your required consistency.
• I've made my beef to semi-dry consistency.

Notes:

No need to add water while pressure cooking the beef as water will come from onions and tomatoes.
No need for adding oil while roasting the beef after it is cooked.

Mutton Pepper Fry

This one is for the mutton lovers, Dyuti & Sathya. This mutton fry is really delicious.

Dyuti & me went in the morning to buy a kilo of mutton. But after removing the fat and taking out the bones that these butchers hid along with the meat, I think I may have only 750 gms of meat left.. very pity..

Recipe Source: My own :)

Ingredients:

Mutton - 750g 

Onions - 3 nos (medium)

Tomato - 2 nos

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Fennel Powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Coconut Oil

Water

Salt

For Marinating Mutton:

Coriander leaves - 4 tbsp (chopped)

Green chillies - 3 nos

Ginger - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Garlic - 1 and 1/2 tbsp (chopped)

Lemon juice - half of a lemon

Salt

• Combine chopped coriander, green chillies, ginger & garlic in a mixer and grind to a fine paste using water.
• Marinate mutton with the paste, lemon juice and salt and refrigerate for a minimum 1-2 hours or overnight.

Instructions:

• Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker.
• When oil is really hot, add the sliced onions and sauté till golden brown in color.
• Add turmeric powder, fennel powder & 1 tbsp of pepper powder. Roast the powders for a minute.

• Add sliced tomatoes & sauté till it's mushy.

• Now add the marinated meat and fry till the masala coats well.
• Add half a cup of water, check for salt and pressure cook the meat.

• Once cooked, in case there is a lot gravy, heat the pan in high flame and thicken up the gravy.
• Before switching off the flame, add the remaining half tbsp of pepper powder and 1 tsp garam masala. This gives additional flavour.

Note:

Best to serve this in a semi dry consistency and pairs well with chappathi.

Adjust the spices & gravy according to your taste.