Rara Gosht / Mutton - Himachali Style

          This is a delicious Himachali style mutton curry. It is quite a unique dish as both mutton pieces and keema (mince) are cooked together. Not sure how the name came about, but it is a must try recipe. 

           The flavour comes from the freshly ground spices that goes into making this dish. It can be enjoyed with steamed rice, pulao, jeera rice, plain biryani, kulcha, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapati for a comforting Sunday meal. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, washed & drained
• 1 cup mutton mince, washed & drained
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 2-3 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tbsp. red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. ground masala
• pinch of nutmeg powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Dry roast & grind - 

• 2 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1/2 mace
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions till light brown. Add the mutton and stir fry till they turn a slight brownish in colour.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Then add in the tomatoes. Cover and cook till it is mashed.

          Add in all the dry spices and give it a stir, followed by the mince. Mix everything well and cook, covered till the moisture dries up.

          Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

          Bring it back to the pan and simmer for 1-2 minutes. switch off the flame and add the ghee and coriander leaves.

          Mix well and keep it covered for 5 minutes. Serve with plain steamed rice, pulao, jeera rice, plain biryani, kulcha, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapati for a comforting Sunday meal. 

                                 Dry roast and grind the whole spices.

                                  Heat oil & sauté the onions till light brown. 

                             Add mutton & stir fry till they turn a slight brownish in colour.

                                 Add ginger-garlic paste & sauté for a minute. 

                                 Add tomatoes. Cover and cook till it is mashed.

                                 Add in all the dry spices and give it a stir, 

 
                                 followed by mince. Mix well & cook, covered till dry.
                      

                      Add 1/2 - 1 cup water & pressure cook for 20-25 minutes on a low flame
                      after the first whistle. 

                     Bring it back to the pan & simmer for 1-2 minutes. Switch off the flame
                     & add ghee & coriander leaves. Mix well & cover for 5 minutes. 

                    Serve with plain steamed rice, pulao, jeera rice, plain biryani, kulcha, naan,
                    tandoori roti or just plain chapati. 

Chamba Fish Fry - HImachali Style

          This is a simple and yummy fish fry from the regions of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. It is coated with a paste made of ginger, garlic, green chilies and a handful of coriander leaves. It is then deep fried to a crispy golden colour. It is traditionally served with chukh, which is a Himachali chutney made of dry red chilies. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 sardine fish
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• handful of coriander leaves
• 2 green chilies
• 1 cup gram flour 
• oil to deep fry

        Grind the ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and green chilies into a smooth paste. Keep aside.   Marinate the fish with salt, lime juice, turmeric powder and red chili powder for 10 minutes.

          Then marinate with the ginger-garlic paste for another 10 minutes. Coat with the gram flour and deep fry in hot oil till light golden in colour. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with salad and a drizzle of lime juice. 

                     Marinate fish with salt, turmeric powder & chili powder for 10 minutes.

                             Then marinate with ginger-garlic paste for another 10 minutes. 

                                 Coat with the gram flour.

                                 Deep fry in hot oil till light golden in colour. 

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                 Serve with salad and a drizzle of lime juice. 

Aloo Gobi Palda (Potato-Cauliflower in Yoghurt Sauce - Himachal / Pahari Style)

          This particular dish comes from the Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh. It is extremely easy and a simple recipe where potatoes and cauliflower are cooked in a yoghurt and rice flour based gravy. In simple term it is their form of kadhi in a thicker avatar. 

          It has a mild flavor, coming from the use of cardamom powder in particular and mustard oil. It can be made both in the dry form or gravy form, which can either be relished as a side dish with steamed rice or chapattis.

• 1 medium size cauliflower, cut into florets 
• 1-2 potatoes, cubed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. garlic, grated
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup yoghurt, beaten
• 1 tbsp. rice flour
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Mix together yoghurt, rice flour and cardamom powder. Keep aside. 

            Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

            Add the onion, ginger and garlic and sauté till light brown. 

            Now add the cauliflower, potatoes, salt, turmeric powder and green chilies. Mix everything well and cook, covered, on a medium flame till they turn soft.

           Sprinkle water and continue to stir at intervals till done. Now add the yoghurt mix and simmer further till it thickens. 

          Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with any form of rice or Indian bread.

Chukh - Chamba Special Chutney

          Chukh is a spicy, sweet and sour chutney from the Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh. I came across this recipe in one of the cookery shows recently and thought of giving it a try. So here you are - my version of this super tongue tingling condiment that can be enjoyed with any kind of Indian bread. 

          Traditionally raisins, honey, lime juice and amchur are used in this recipe for the sweet and tangy flavor. But I substituted it with brown sugar and tamarind paste. You can as well prepare in large quantities and store in an airtight container to be used as a pickle. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 6-7 Kashmiri Dry red chilies, soaked in war water for an hour
• 10-15 fresh red chilies
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1" ginger
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder (opt)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp. sugar (I used powdered sugar)

To dry roast & grind - 

• 1 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. carom seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds

          Grind together the soaked red chilies, fresh chilies, ginger and garlic to a smooth paste by adding some water.

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the asafoetida and the ground dry spices for a few seconds. Then add the ground paste, salt, turmeric powder, tamarind paste, chili powder and some water.

          Sauté on a medium flame till it leaves the sides of the pan. Now add the sugar and stir fry for a few more seconds.

          Switch off the flame and set aside to cool down. Store in an airtight container for later use. Serve as a condiment along with any form of Indian bread. 

          It can also be used as a spread on toast, parathas, pizza, sandwiches or on tortillas with few stuffing's as a wrap. 

                  Dry roast 1 tsp. each of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, carom                                          seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Set aside to cool.

     
                                 Then grind into a fine powder.

                                  Grind soaked red chilies, fresh chilies, ginger and garlic

                                 to a smooth paste by adding some water.

                   Heat oil & sauté asafoetida & ground dry spices for a few seconds. Then 
                   add the ground paste, 

                    salt, turmeric powder, tamarind paste, chili powder & some water.  Sauté 
                     on a medium flame till it leaves the sides of the pan. 

                                  Now add the sugar and stir fry for a few more seconds.

                                  Switch off the flame and set aside to cool down. 

                     Serve as a condiment with any Indian bread. Use it as a spread on toast, 
                     parathas, pizza, sandwiches or on tortillas with few stuffing's as a wrap.