Mutton Dum Piyaza

Each Eid reminds me of the happy Eids I celebrated as a kid at my maternal grandparent’s house in Rawalpindi some 20 or more years ago. It was the hustle and bustle a day before Eid which I found more exciting. Being the eldest grandchild, I believed my job was the most important one.  Which was to make sure that the Mehndi – Henna was prepared well in advance by nagging ammi & khalas (maternal aunts).  Mind you this was not the instant cone mehndi era. A lot of time and effort was put in preparing dry Mehndi with brewed tea and mustard oil. It was left to sit for hours before it could be applied on the hands.

The kitchen was the most happening & exciting place where Haleem and Kheer was prepared a day before Eid. 6-8 kilos of Kheer – Rice pudding was prepared on the outdoor firewood stove as the big cooking pan - Daighcha (Similar to a Giant stock pot) was too big to fit on the conventional gas stoves in Barri Ammi’s (Nani – Maternal Grandmother) kitchen. The Kheer would take 5-6 hours of physical labor to become thick, creamy and gently pink in color. The trick to perfect Kheer was to stir it constantly for 6 hours to ensure it does not get burnt at the bottom of the pan spoiling the taste and smell of Kheer. That much labor was not one man’s job. So ammi, Khalas, mamoos(maternal uncles), sheeda-the cook, Shayra- The cleaner, Jan Bhai – The driver and Mali Baba –the live in Gardener all took turns to stir the kheer for 6 hours. Barray Abbu(Nana – Maternal Grandfather) was the final authority & quality control to sign off on the Kheer before it was cooled, ladled in to serving bowls and decorated with silver leaf, slivered  almonds and pistachios.  

Those who contributed their muscle power in stirring the Kheer were the first ones to be offered to enjoy the Kheer on Eid day. I find myself smiling as I recall those cherished Eids I had spent at my grandparents’ house. Technically I should be sharing the recipe for that very Kheer but ET had asked me to write a savory, meaty post for Bakra Eid. Hence I am sharing the Mutton Dum Piyaza recipe from ammi’s Eid Menu which was a favorite of everyone and befits Eid Dastarkhuan perfectly.  The expat Pakistanis in Far East like me will celebrate Eid on Tuesday- 15th.  Eid Mubarak to everyone back home. Please pray for peace, stability and harmony to return to Pakistan and let’s not forget to include the less fortunate ones in our celebrations.

Cooking Utensil – Pressure cooker & a nonstick pan with lid. This dish is served best with Naan.

Ingredients:

Mutton – ½ kg

Onions – 3 Large - sliced

Tomatoes - 4 medium sized– chopped

Ginger paste – 1 tsp. Heaped

Garlic Paste – 1 Tsp. Heaped

Oil – 5 tbsps. (I prefer sunflower oil)

Cinnamon Sticks – 2 (1 ½ inch long)

Black Cardamom – 2 whole

Roasted cumin seeds (zeera) – 1 tsp. (Heaped - slightly crushed in pestle mortar).

Roasted whole coriander seeds – 1 tsp. (Heaped- slightly crushed in pestle mortar)

Dried red chilies whole – 4

Cloves – 6

Black Peppercorn – 8-10 (whole)

Salt – 1 tsp. (adjust to taste)

Water – 1 ½ cup

Garnish for Dum (steaming):

1 Large Onion – sliced in rings

2 Medium Tomatoes – sliced in rings

1 green chili thickly cut.

Ginger –Julienne – 1 tbsp.

Oil – 2 Tbsp.

Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp. Heaped – crushed.

Method:

1. Heat 5 tbsps. of oil in a pressure cooker and add the mutton. Sauté it on high heat for 3-4 mins till it changes color on all sides.
2. Add ginger/garlic along with all the whole dried spices to the meat (Cumin, coriander, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, and cinnamon). Fry for 1-2 mins. Don’t let the garlic burn.
3. Add onions and fry them till they are translucent. No need to brown them. Deglaze the pan as per need with ¼ cup of water and cook the onions further. Ensure nothing gets burnt at the bottom.
4. Add salt and chopped tomatoes. Cook further for 1 minute. Add about a cup of water. Mix and put on the lid to pressure cook the meat. The meat I use takes about 15 mins of pressure cooking resulting in 3/4 of the meat tendering done. The rest is cooked in dum(steaming).
5. Once the pressure cooking has been done, remove the lid and check the tenderness of the meat. Once the meat is tender to your liking then proceed with shifting the meat and the liquid in to a nonstick pan to dry the water over high heat.
6. Watch out for the aggressive boiling bubbles jumping out of the boiling liquid. It will splatter on the stove and hands. Protect your hands, stove can be cleaned later.
7. Once ¾ of the liquid has dried, add 2 tbsps. of oil and cook further till all the water dries up and the oil comes out on the sides.
8. Lower the heat to the minimum. Now add layers of sliced onions, green chilies, Julienne ginger & tomato slices. Also sprinkle the crush cumin seeds.
9. Close the lid lightly and let the raw vegetables steam cook over low heat for 15-20 mins.
10. Open the pan and mix it. Serve it with a garnish of fresh coriander and green chili.
11. It pairs beautifully with Roghni Naan.

Allo Gosht & Thunder Cats

I was about 13 when Pakistan's first private television channel - NTM started broadcasting. Thunder cats became my favorite cartoons back then. The Thunder Cats used to be aired around dinner time. Meaning all of us siblings will be fixated around the tv while having dinner. Ammi gave up on trying to station us at the dinner table while our favorite cartoons were on. Our favorite dinner was potato and meat curry served with a paratha while watching our favorite cartoons. Life was perfect!

It still amazes me how a 13 year old could eat parathas without any guilt or even a remote thought of weight gain. Now i feel that even the thought of having a buttered paratha adds couple of pounds to ones waist. I am sharing my favorite curry recipe in the loving memory of my favorite cartoons, guilt free Paratha eating and being a 13 year old.  At the same time i am thankful to the cosmic forces for letting my generation grow up without Hanna Montana. 

Maryam this is for you. Thank you for sending me down the memory lane.

Potato and meat curry can be served with pea pulao, home made chappati - flat bread or buttered paratha. 

Ingredients:

Mutton – 250 gms (6-7 pieces)

Onions – 250 gms (4-5 medium – finely chopped)

Tomatoes – 150 gms ( 3 medium – pureed)

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tbsp

Potatoes – 350 gms (3 Medium – peeled and diced)

Oil – 5 Tbsp

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Methi Seeds/ Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp

Cinnamon sticks – 2 (2 inch each)

Black Cardamom – 2 pieces

Chili Powder – ½ tsp (adjust to taste)

Cumin Powder – ½ tsp

Salt – ½ tsp (adjust to taste)

Water – 3 ½ cups

Garnish: Dried Methi(dried fenugreek leaves)- ½ tsp, garam masala (2 pinches), chopped coriander.

I use pressure cooker to cook the meat as it reduces cooking time. If you want to do it without pressure cooker, it can take up to an hour for cooking the meat alone. 

Method: 

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add onions and let them become translucent.
2. Add ginger/garlic paste, cumin seeds, cinnamon, black cardamom and fry for a minute.
3. Now add meat and fry till it changes color to brown.
4. Add tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Now add 350 ml ( 1 ½ cups) of water and put the cover on to pressure cook.
6. The pressure cooking time for the meat depends on the meat itself. I needed about 15 minutes of pressure cooking to cook the mutton I had. (You might need more or less).
7. After 15 mins depressurize the cooker under cold water and open it.  Check if the meat is tender or not. (If it is not done yet then pressure cook it further for 5-10 mins. Replenish with a little bit of more water.)
8. Once the meat is tender then remove the meat from the cooker and let it rest in a plate while you work on the gravy. This ensures that the meat does not break down in further cooking.
9. Now increase the heat and dry up the water in the mixture. It should become thick and the oil should come out on the sides (see the photo).
10. Now add potatoes and the already cooked meat. Add 450ml (2 cups) of water and let it boil on high heat.
11. Once it starts boiling reduce the heat and let it simmer. The aim is to cook the potatoes and the oil comes up on the surface. It can take between 15-25 mins(see the photo).
12. Once done garnish with dried methi, 2 pinches of garam masala and fresh coriander leaves.