Keema Kofta – Mutton Meat Balls curried in a spicy tomato gravy

 

My Dear Wonderful Friends

It’s been a while since I have had the time to sit down and write a decent entry into the blog. Simply cause I chose to spend more time with my little baby and I realized that I rather have the time now than repent later when he is old and doesn’t really want someone like me to play with him. I remember when I was younger and my mum and i would play together. She would be the “student” and I would be the “teacher”. I had a black slate with a red handle and scraps of chalk. We would learn the numbers and recite “A, B, C, D” at the top of our lungs. Slowly the “student” moved to the pot and plants at home and later my dad got me a bicycle and once I made other friends, my mum was never my play mate again. It’s ironic right? Today I am in the same role as my mother and some day I will not be his play mate ever and maybe it will break my heart, but playing and making friends with others his age is a big milestone and therefore it would still be a good thing. (Sigh..!! )

Ok so enough of the mushy stuff.  I am going to leave you with a nice meatball recipe and I hope you try it out some time.

Ingredients :-

For the meat balls :-

1. Mutton Minced – 800 gms
2. Ginger Garlic Paste – 4 tbsp
3. Potatoes – 3 large sized – boiled and mashed
4. Coriander Leaves – 2 cups (chopped fine)
5. Salt – according to taste
6. Oil – 3 tbsp
7. Pepper Powder – 2 tsp
8. Cumin Powder –1 tsp
9. Chili Powder – 1 tsp
10. Garam Masala Powder – 2 tsp
11. Water – 3 tbsp

Instructions :-

1. Line your baking pan with non stick baking paper. Set aside
2. In a cooker, turn the flame to medium and heat oil
3. Once the oil is hot, add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone
4. Then add the mutton, 1 cup of coriander leaves, 2 tsp salt, pepper powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, chili powder and water
5. Cover and cook for 3 – 4 whistles ( depends on the meat)
6. Once the meat is cooked, open the cooker and turn up the heat. Let the water evaporate. Remember to stir every now and then
7. After the water has evapotared and the meat is nice and cooked, set aside to cool down
8. During that time, in a large bowl combine the coriander leaves with the potatoes and mix well.  Season with a little salt
9. Now mix the cooled mutton mince with the potatoes and make small balls and arrange in the prepared baking tray
10. After all the meat has been arranged on the tray brush lightly with some oil ( this is optional)
11. Put the meat balls in the fridge for 20 mins while you pre heat your oven to 180
12. Bake the meat balls for 30 mins or till you see them turn nice and golden brown

Ingredients for the gravy

1. Oil – 3 tbsp
2. Bay Leaf – 1 large leaf
3. Cardamom – 3
4. Cinnamon Stick – 1 ( around 10 cm long)
5. Cloves – 4
6. Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
7. Onion – ½ cup ( chopped fine)
8. Tomato – 2 cups ( chopped fine)
9. Chili Powder – 2 tbsp ( adjust according to taste)
10. Cashew Nuts – 1 cup
11. Water – enough to soak the cashewnuts
12. Pumpkin Seeds – 1 tsp
13. Fresh Cream – 2 tbsp ( optional)

Instructions :-

1. Heat a cup of water in the microwave and drop the cashewnuts to soften
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan
3. When the oil is hot, add the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves
4. Then add the ginger garlic paste and the onion
5. Fry till the onions are translucent. Do not brown them
6. Then add the chilli powder and fry till the tomatoes are nice and soft
7. Turn the flame off the let the mixture cool
8. Now blend the mixture to form a nice smooth paste
9. Transfer the puree back into the heavy bottom pan and simmer on low
10. Blend the softened cashewnuts to for a nice silky paste ( use water if required)
11. Once the tomato mixture has reached a simmer, pour in the cashew mixture and give it a nice stir
12. Cook till the mixture thickens

Assembling the Dish

1. Just before you serve the dish, drop the baked meat balls into the curry
2. Sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds and pour cream over the top ( optional)
3. Serve with hot rotis or rice

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Beetroot Falafel with a “Ragda” Curry / Zero Oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we got back from our holiday, we came back to the reality that we haven’t been eating healthy. Now ‘health’ is a very subjective word, cause what is ‘healthy’ for you may or may not be ‘healthy’ for me. A young child like my baby boy needs his daily dose of high calorie food, starch, carbs and proteins. Older people such as Mr R and I , do not need the same kind of food. So keeping that in mind, we decided to go easy over the week. We decided to reduce fried food, reduce oil and alter the type of oil we use in cooking and reduce the about of gluten we eat. That basically translates to no more fast food from the place down the road and no more pizza night! But it has also helped me dig deep within to find healthier ways to make every day food taste just as good. Trust me, some food can be made the same and you do not need ghee or cream or maida to make them taste good. So I think I will start a new tab on my blog and call it “My husband’s lunch box” and I will post all my recipes that I create for him that involve no oil or less oil and less or no sugar. Do let me know if you think that is a good idea :).

Ok now this recipe is inspired by the famous “Ragda Patties” of Mumbai. When in Mumbai we have had it so many times and I just love it! But the original dish is made with an “Aloo Tikki”- a potato cutlet fried in oil and then served along with “Pav” – bread. I decided to change the recipe a little as I did not want the oil both in the patty and in the curry. Also I used beetroot instead of potato as they are healthier.

Before using it in the recipe, I boiled the beetroot in a pressure cooker ( gave it 4 whistles) and drained the water out. The water was then used to make my baby boy’s rice. Another change we made in our diet was switching to organic red rice. Red rice does take a little longer to cook, so my mum suggested to soak it over night, and yes it made a big difference. I will write up post about how and why you should try red rice! Personally I love it’s taste too!

Ok so on to the recipe.

Baked Beetroot Falafel

Ingredients :-

1. Beetroot – 3 medium size ( cleaned, skin removed, cut into halves, boiled for 4 whistles)
2. Corriander  seeds – 1 tsp
3. Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
4. Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
5. Parsley Leaves – 1 tbsp ( chopped)
6. Coriander Leaves – 1 tsp ( chopped)
7. Onions – 1/2 cup (chopped)
8. Whole Wheat flour – 2 – 3 tbsp ( depends on how soft the beetroot is)
9. Salt – to taste

Instructions :-

1. Pre Heat your oven to 180 and line a baking tray with baking paper
2. In a bowl drop the boiled beet roots and mash till nice and soft ( like play doh)
3. Then add all the other ingredients except the Whole wheat flour
4. Make sure to mix all the content of the bowl well to ensure the spices have mixed well and evenly along with the beets
5. Finally sprinkle the whole wheat flour into the bowl a little at a time. The flour should help you form one big ball of the beetroot and masala
6. Slowly roll out small bite size balls of the beetroot and place on the baking tray ( as in pic)
7. Once your are done rolling them all out pop them into the oven and bake till nice and golden
8. As there is no oil you will have the watch and listen. Once they begin to sizzle let them stay for another  5 – 10 mins and then take them out
9. This should take between 15- 25 mins ( depends on how thick you roll out the balls)
10. Finally let them cool off before storing in an air tight container

While the falafel is baking we can make our ” Ragda ” / White Pea Curry

Ingredients :-

1. White Peas – 1 cup ( soaked over night)
2. Onions – 1 cup ( chopped)
3. Tomato – 1/2 cup (chopped_
4. Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
5. Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
6. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1/2 tsp
7. Asafoetida – a pinch
8. Salt  – to taste

Instructions :-

1. In a pressure cooker, add drained white peas , water, turmeric powder and 1 tsp salt
2. Close the lid and let the peas cook for about 4 whistles. Some times it might take longer
3. Heat a non stick pot / kadai and add onions. Saute till nice and pink. Then add ginger- garlic paste and asafoetida
4. Once the mixture has fried and the raw smell had subsided add tomatoes and chilli powder
5. Finally add the cooked white peas with the water and let the mixture cook for 10 mins
6. Stir the bubbling mixture occasionally
7. Your curry is ready

To Assemble –

Ingredients :-

1. Onions – 1 cup chopped
2. Tomato – 1 cup chopped
3. Coriander Leaves – 1 cup chopped
4. Mint Chutney – as required
5. Sev – optional
6. Pav – optional

Serve as in photos 🙂

Enjoy !!!

Home made Whole Wheat Pita Bread

 

 

Its actually quite simple to make Pita bread. And as usual I used by food processor to do the mixing and then a little kneading with my hand. A little time to rest and pop them into the oven for wonderful soft home made Pita bread. Now this recipe will give you soft and thin pita bread. I do not like thick fluffy pita, cause then its just a round thinner bun. Also I like more stuffing in my pita than the bread it self. So if you want thicker pita bread all you have to do its roll them out thicker and let them rest for longer after rolling them out.

 

Ingredients :-

1. Yeast – 1 tbsp
2. Sugar – 2 tsp
3. Water – 1/2 cup
4. Whole Wheat Flour – 2 cups
5. Milk – 1/2 cup
6. Salt – 1/4 tsp

Instructions :-

1. An a microwavable bowl, combine milk and water and warm till luke warm
2. Then take the bowl out of the microwave and add sugar to the milk mixture
3. Add yeast into the sugar + milk + water mixture and let it rest till nice and foamy ( approx 15 mins)
4. In a bowl of you food processor, add the whole wheat flour and salt
5. Once the yeast mixture is nice and foamy , pour 1/4 of the mixture to the wheat flour and start the food processor on low
6. Gradually add in the rest of the mixture to the flour
7. The entire wheat flour dough should come together into one nice clean ball yet should be sticky when pinched (add or reduce the amount of water as required – the amount of water required by the flour depends on how fresh the flour is and its quality)
8. Lightly dust your counter top with a little flour ( maybe 1.2 tbsp)
9. Now empty the dough onto a lightly floured counter top and kneed for a good 5 – 10 mins
10. You want to made sure you work the gluten and distribute the yeast evenly as well
11. Lightly oil a glass bowl and drop the wheat dough into the bowl
12. I usually cover it with a wet cloth and allow it to rest in a warm place ( usually the side of my pre heating oven or a window facing the sun)
13. Let the dough rest of half an hour
14. After that divide the dough into equal parts ( i got around 10 medium sized pitas)
15. Roll them out into prefect circles
16. Line your baking tray with baking paper and set these pita discs onto them ( leave 5 – 8 cms between them)
17. Again cover these disc and let them sit for half an hour
18. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 200C
19. After half an hour pop the resting pita discs into the oven and bake for 5 – 8 mins ( keep a close eye on the them, do not let them turn brown, they will become hard like biscuits)
20. You will see them pop up slowly and balloon up
21. Remove them from the oven and let then cool completely
22. To cut them out you just need to hold the sides inwards and they usually just tear into nice perfect pockets
23. Enjoy