Gosht shajan :Andra style preparation of succulent mutton pieces and drumsticks in a tangy gravy

Gosht Shajan

Drumstick is a pod of the ‘Drumstick tree’.  It is an exceptionally nutritious vegetabletree with a variety of potential uses. While the bark and roots are used in home remedies, the leaves, flowers and pods are various delicies. Drumsticks are called mugepalli in urdu, shajan in hindi, nuggekai in kannada and murungakai in tamil, muringa in malayalam.

Gosht Shajan is an andra style preparation of succulent mutton pieces and drumsticks in a tangy gravy.

Ingredients :

1. Mutton : 1/2 kg
2. Drum stick: 1, cut into pieces of 2 inches
3. Oil : 2 tbspn
4. Onions : 2 medium (chopped)
5. Tomato: 1 big (cut into pieces)
6. Tamarind puree/juice : 2 cups
7. Ginger- garlic paste : 11/2 tsp
8. Curry leaves: 1 spring
9. Green chillies: 3 slit
10. Cloves: 3
11. Cinnamon: 1 inch
12. Chilli powder/paprika: 5 tsp
13. Coriander powder: 2 tsp
14. tumeric powder :3/4 tsp
15. Salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash mutton well and marinate using red chilli powder, tumeric powder and salt for 20 mins.
• Heat oil in a cooker and cloves and cinnamon
• Add curry leaves and green chillies and them splutter
• Add onions and fry till they trun pinkish brown and add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the smell of paste goes away.
• Add the marinated mutton to the onions and fry
• Add more chilli powder if you require the gravy to be spicy (optional)
• Add coriander powder add tomato pieces and cook
• Once the juices are released add the tamarind juices and pressure cook till 5 whistle
• Open the cooker once it cools, check for salt and add if needed.
• Add the drumsticks and pressure cook for 2 whistle.
• Open the cooker and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice.

HALAL- E- HALEEM : A famous Ramadan dish made of wheat, lentils and Meat.

Haleem is one of my favorite Ramadan dish. It’s an amazing combo of wheat and meat… This authentic dish is cooked slowly over heat for hours together. i have tried to be as authentic as possible, just used the blender for shredding mutton as I was short on time. This Haleem is the pakistani version which similar to hyderabadi haleem

Ingredients:

1. 750gms boneless mutton ( but I used with bones as the flavour is better )
2. 2 cups broken wheat ( you can use whole grains too)
3. 2 tbsp ginger paste
4. 2 tbsp garlic paste
5. 1 onion chopped
6. 2 medium size tomatoes chopped
7. 1 cup mixed lentils (urad daal (black gram 25gms), chana daal( split chick pea gram 25gms) and masoor daal (red gram 25gms) )
8. 2 tbsp red chilli powder
9. 1 tsp turmeric powder
10. ½ cup curds
11. 1 ½  tsp garam masala
12. ½  tsp black pepper corns
13. 1 tsp cumin powder
14. Whole spices  1 inch cinnamon stick, 2-3 cloves, 2-3 cardamoms
15. 4 green chilies, (slit in halves)
16. ¾ cup Ghee
17. ½ cup coriander powder
18. ½ cup mint leaves
19. salt to taste

For Garnishing:

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 3 green chilies, thinly sliced
• 1 cup golden and crisp fried onions
• 1/2 cup Cashew nuts
• 1 lemon cut into 4 quarters

How to make Haleem:

• First wash and soak the cracked wheat for an hour.
• Wash and soak all the pulses together for an hour
• Then wash and clean the lamb, Mix the it with 1tbsp of ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp of salt, red chilli powder,1/2 tsp garam masala powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder keep it aside to marinate.
• Boil the broken wheat along with the mixed lentils with 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1 green chill, ½ tsp salt in 8-10 cups of water until its cooked completely and the water is almost absorbed by the wheat. (Keep stirring continuously, so that the wheat doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan)
• Use a daal gottini (a wooden masher) to mash the lentils and make into consistent paste.  (you can also use a blender)
• Leave the lentils to simmer on low flame, and keep stirring occasionally.
• Heat the ½ cup of ghee in another pan add the onions sauté, add whole spices, the remaining green chillies, 1/2 cup fresh coriander, ½ cup mint leave and sauté for a min.
• Add the mutton and sauté for 3 mins.
• Add the remaining chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix well.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin powder, gram masala and coriander powder and sauté
• Add the Yoghurt and sauté, for another 10- 15 min or until a little oil starts to float on top.
• Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste and bring it to a boil.
• Once the mutton is well cooked, remove the mutton pieces and shred them ( you can use the blender also)
• To the simmering lentils add the mutton gravy and shredded mutton and mix well, adding a little of ghee at a time. Boil till all water if any evaporates.
• Do check the salt and add if needed.
• Let it simmer for at least 1/2 hour…keep stirring in between.
• Serve in a bowl and garnished with fried onions, cashew nuts and fresh Coriander and mint leaves.

















Authentic Haleem