Mutton Pepper chops

Moving is always a very stressful and hard decision. Ours was by choice . I missed California and the excitement out there and hence our decision. So here I was packing and getting ready for the big move, all excited until it dawned on me how much I was going to miss this quiet and dainty little town, with its laid back life that I have grown to enjoy. I was definitely going to miss waking up to the sound of the birds and the lush greenery that surrounded me. When you initially move to a new place, you hate it, then when the days go by you start to like it and then when you finally leave , you realize that you love it . So ends my love story with Cary, NC. For now, my kitchen is swiped clean, all the things neatly packed and labelled and stored in the garage for the big move. I am left with a packet of frozen chops and just enough utensils and ingredients to make it thru for the next few days. This is probably the last dish that is cooked in my NC kitchen and the last blog for quite some time until I find another kitchen to put my culinary skills to use.

Ingredients :

1 lb Mutton Chops
2 Onions ( Chopped)

1/2 " Piece Ginger

7-8 Garlic cloves

3 Tsp Pepper Corns
2 Tomatoes

1 Tsp Jeera

Curry Leaves

Coriander

1 Potatoes Sliced

1/2 Sliced Onions

1 Sliced Tomato

Grind together pepper, jeera, ginger and garlic. In a pressure cooker, add oil and saute the onions and curry leaves until the onions become a golden brown. Add the ground masala, saute for a couple more minutes and add the chopped tomatos. When the oil starts surfacing, add the mutton chops and cook for up to 3 whistles or for about 30 minutes on medium heat. When cooked, open the cooked and let the water (if there is) dry out.

Meanwhile, slice the potatoes to 1" thick and add oil in a shallow pan and fry them golden on both

sides.

Add this to the mutton chops, add the sliced onions and tomatoes before serving. Garnish with chopped coriander.Serve hot with rice or roti.

Mutton and Cabbage Curry

It has been only a good three weeks since we bought any mutton home...and it seemed like an eternity . It was obvious we were craving for it..and seeing my husbands sulking face..I knew it was time to go get some from the halal store , that we had grown to love. So today was the day...This sumptious mutton curry paired with chunks of cabbage is the ultimate lunch on a busy weekday. Top it off with the onion and tomato salad...and you are ready for an afternoon nap.

Ingredients :

Mutton - 1 lb
Onion - 1 Large
Tomatoes - 2
Chilli Powder - 2 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 3 Tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 Tsp
Cinnamon Stick - 1/2 inch
Cloves - 3-4
Coconut Milk - 2 Cup
Cabbage - 1/2
Lemon Juice or Vinegar - 2 Tbsp
Coriander leaves - Chopped ( a handful)
Curry Leaves
Salt

In a pressure cooker, add a tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the curry leaves, cinnamon and cloves and the onions. Saute for a couple of minutes until the onions turn a golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute well, until the raw smell of the paste disappears. Add all chopped tomatoes and saute again for about 10 minutes. When you see the oil coming out of the mixture, add all the powders and saute well. Add the mutton pieces and mix well. Add 2 cups of coconut milk, the coriander leaves , salt and one cup of water Pressure cook for about 3 whistles or for about 30 minutes on medium heat or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the cabbage ( each layer) into big squares (if you cut them into too small pieces they just disappear in the curry) .

When the mutton is cooked, add the chopped cabbage .Close with a lid and let it cook. Its better you dont pressure cook at this point. Once done, add about 2 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar..and check for seasonings. This curry is best served with a simple onion and tomato salad and hot rice.

Mom's Mutton Chops

This recipe always reminds me of the days when my mom made it and we used to literally lick the plate clean. The lamb chops was her ultimate dish and for some reason mine never turns out quite like hers...although this is just enough to make me drool all over.....and lick the plate yet again..!

Ingredients :

Mutton Chops - 1 lb
Tomato - 2
Onion ( large) - 1
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tsp
Garam Masala - 1 Tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 Tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Curry leaves
Salt

Cook the tomatoes in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes. When cooked, remove from water, peel the skin and puree the tomatoes in a blender. In a pressure cooker, add oil, curry leaves and chopped onions and saute until the onions turn golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste, saute for about 3-4 minutes and then add all the powders. Add the pureed tomato and saute well until you see some of the oil on the surface. Add the mutton chops and season it with salt and cook for about 4 whistles or for about 45 minutes on medium heat. Once cooked, open the cooker and saute for a couple of minutes more until the gravy thickens. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice and salad or parathas.

Liver and Kidney Pepper Fry

This is one of my husband's and son's favorite dish. My son loves to eat liver and kidney and is a staple dish at home. Its nutritious and high in protein.



Ingredients:

Goat’s Liver / Kidney - 1 lb
Onions – 2
Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 Tsp
Pepper Corns – 3 Tsp
Jeera – 1 Tsp
Chili Powder – 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ Tsp
Garam Masala – 1 Tsp
Pepper Powder – 1 Tsp
Curry Leaves – 5-7

Coarsely chop the onions. In a blender, add the onions along with the jeera, ginger garlic paste and pepper corns and blend it coarsely.
In a tava, add oil and the curry leaves. Add the onion mixture and sauté well until the raw smell disappears. Add all the powders and add the washed and cleaned liver/kidney to the tava. Add salt. Close the tava until the liver/kidney gets cooked. Take care not to overcook the liver and kidney since they tend to get tougher when overcooked. Once cooked, open tava, and let the water dry out. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with white rice.

Minced Meat with Snow Peas and Green Peas

I love minced meat..Kheema mattar..its quick and easy to make and goes well with rice or roti's. I make this so many times that sometimes they get boring, so this time when i found some snow peas sitting in my fridge i jazzed it up a notch :=) I threw it in along with the kheema matar and voila....it tasted so good.


Ingredients:

Minced Meat (Lamb or beef) – 1 lb
Shallots (Sliced finely) – 10 – 12
Garlic (Sliced thin) – 5
Tomato Paste – 3 tbsp
Garam Masala – 2 tsp
Pepper Powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric Pwd – 1 tsp
Chili Pwd – 2 tsp
Salt as required
Coriander (chopped) – 2 tsp

In a pan, add oil and fry the shallots and sliced garlic until brown. Add the tomato paste and let it mix well into the onion mixture. Add all the powders and once mixed well add the minced meat. Close the pan until the meat is cooked. Once cooked, open it and add the snow peas and green peas. Let the vegetables cook for about a good 5-10 minutes and then fry well until all the water (if ever there is) evaporates.
Garnish with Coriander and serve hot with roti’s.