Gosht Korma ~ Mutton Curry

On Sunday, we had a special meal – Fried rice, Cucumber Raita and Hyderabadi Gosht (Mutton) Korma, a culinary marvel of Hyderabadi cuisine.Its not the first time I have prepared Mutton Korma. Each time I cook it, I tend to tweak the combination of spices that go into its making trying to replicate a flavor. This particular recipe comes close to it and is a family favorite. Enriched with a paste of dry coconut-poppy seeds, flavored with aromatic spices, the meat is slow cooked in yogurt till falling apart tender. The mildly spiced, creamy textured Korma has warm comforting flavors and makes a great side with biryani,pulav and rotis.

Mutton Korma Recipe

Marinatation: 30 mts, Prep: 50-60 mts

Serves 4-5 persons

Cuisine: Hyderabadi

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Ingredients:

1 kg mutton, cubed, washed

4 cloves

2 elaichi

1″ cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

2 large onions, finely chopped

5-6 green chillies, slit

1 1/2 tbsps ginger garlic paste

1 large tomato, chopped

salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsps oil

1 1/2 tbsps ghee

3/4 tsp garam masala pwd

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

For marinade:

2 tsps red chilli pwd (adjust)

1 1/4 tbsp coriander pwd

3/4 tsp cumin pwd

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2 cups thick yogurt/curd

Make a paste

1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds, dry roast for 4 mts, soak in water for 10 mts

4 tbsps dry coconut

4 cashew nuts, soak in little water or milk (optional)

1 Add the curd, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, half of the ginger garlic paste to the washed mutton. Keep aside the marinated mutton for 30-40 mts.
2 Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel, add whole spices and bay leaf and fry for few secs. Add the chopped onions and fry till transparent. Add the green chillis and remaining ginger-garlic paste and saute for 3 mts. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 4-5 mts.
3 Add the marinated mutton and cook over medium heat with lid till the water from the meat and yogurt is almost absorbed. Check in between and stir.
4 Add the poppy seeds-coconut paste and salt to the mutton and mix well. Cover and cook for 4-5 mts. Add 3 cups of water and salt. Cook with lid on simmer till the mutton is tender and the gravy thickens. Add garam masala pwd and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Turn off heat.
5 Serve with pulao, biryani, or rotis.

Note:

The cooking time will depend on the quality of mutton used. If its tough meat, it takes longer to cook.

Chicken 65

CHICKEN 65

Chicken 65 recipe at last!

Isn’t that the reaction of many of you dear readers?  I know that you have patiently waited for the recipe of chicken 65. There have been numerous requests for chicken 65 recipe and somehow I never got down to blogging it. This is one of the most popular Indian chicken starter recipe and being able to re-create restaurant style chicken 65 at home, successfully, gives one a high. A favorite appetizer in our home along with Chicken Manchurian.

There are numerous theories doing the rounds on the internet on the origins of Chicken 65. Whatever the real story, must thank the creator of this delicious chicken starter recipe.

Chicken 65 Recipe

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30 min

Yield: 4

Main Ingredients:

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken - 250 gms/1/4 kg (cut into small bite sized pieces)
• Oil for deep frying
• Yogurt - a little less than 1/2 cup (perugu/curd)
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
• For Marinade:
• Turmeric powder - large pinch
• Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• To coat chicken that has been marinated:
• Egg - 1
• Cornflour - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Maida - 1/2 tbsp
• For Tempering/poppu/tadka:
• Cooking oil - 1/2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprg
• Garlic - 2 cloves, minced (optional)
• Ginger - 1/2", minced
• Green chilies - 4-5, slit length wise
• Chilli sauce,soya sauce,tomato sauce-1 tsp each

Method

1. Marinate bite sized pieces of chicken in the ingredients called for marinade for 1 hour.
2. In a bowl, mix yogurt, salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. Keep aside.
3. After marinating the chicken, add egg, cornflour, salt to taste and rice flour to coat the chicken. Add a tbsp of water if required.
4. Heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, add a few chicken pieces into the oil without crowding the vessel and cook on medium flame. Once the chicken is almost cooked, increase flame and deep fry the chicken pieces till golden brown.
5. Remove onto absorbent paper. Keep aside. Repeat with rest of the chicken pieces.
6. Heat a cooking vessel, add a tbsp of oil. Add garlic and ginger and saute for a few seconds. Add curry leaves and green chilies. Saute for a few secs. Add the deep fried chicken and toss well and cook for 2 mts.
7. Add the yogurt mixture and cook on low to medium flame, mixing the contents well. Toss the chicken till the yogurt dries up and the chicken absorbs the yogurt mix.
8. Remove onto a serving plate. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips

• Garlic is optional ingredient.
• Yogurt/Curd is essential ingredient. It gives the chicken texture and flavor.