Meat Beli Ram/Belli Ram...Cooking with the Masters

Mutton..

Back to evolution...
Back to the days when I read and cooked.
And learnt that the way to a happy man's heart is definitely through his stomach.
In the early days of my marriage when I was struggling with food....just putting a decent looking dish on the table was a challenge.
But no, I had to live up to the standards set by hubby dears grandmother and my mother...
Every dish ,even though I poured my heart and soul into it...was good, but the "nani" and "ma" made it better.
Then sweet sister interned in Maurya Sheraton...and I learnt some secrets, which she never used but thankfully passed on to me.
I'm much the richer , thanks to the time she spent at The ITC Maurya Sheraton!
At that point in time...any way Jiggs Kalrs led,I would have walked blindly.
And he did lead beautifully.

The directions I endeavoured to undertake with this book, no other chef has put forth.
Almost one, Maharaja Digvijaya Singh of Sailana.
These two books, If you can master...you can do just about anything Indian.
Let me Introduce you to Beli Ram.
According to google, he was the chef of Maharaja Ranjit Sing of Patiala...and this dish is fit for kings.
This dish came from here...

Simple but almost painful.

And worth the time you spend stirring and doubting the recipe.
Somewhere in the beginning, you will think...something has gone wrong ,but patience pays here.

Garner Plenty.
For the


Meat Beli Ram/Belli Ram...Cooking with the Masters...

you need


1 kg lamb/Mutton  assorted cuts
2 2/3 cups or 600 mils fresh curd/Yogurt
500 gms /3 cups finely sliced onions
8 tbsp ginger garlic paste
10 green cardamom pods
5 cloves
2 1-inch sticks cinnamon
2 tsps salt
2 - 3 tsp Kashmir Red Chili powder/Red chili flakes
125 mils ghee
6 tsp coriander seeds whole

If you have foresight ,or plan well, you can marinate the lamb overnight. Otherwise at least one and a  half hour is a must.
Whisk the yogurt.

Finely slice the onions. I was sneezing so much after the onions I needed to take a break from the kitchen for some time.
But after an antihistamine...I was back!

That is the amount of ginger and garlic...which was less!

In the bowl ,with the meat, the yogurt and the onions and the ginger garlic paste...the salt, red chili ,the cardamom, cloves and the cinnamon.

This I had to show you...see the stick of cinnamon...hubby dear brought back from down south for me!
Any thing to do with making food better...

All in...and covered to marry the flavours.

Now for the actual cooking...you need a large pan or handi or wok or kadai....
Heat the ghee...hubby dear fears cholesterol attacks , so I have strict instructions to avoid ghee as far as possible.
I used mustard oil...and my extracted tooth would not have supported so many coriander seeds( my jaw is still tender) I used half the coriander and ground them a bit.

OK, oil smoked...coriander seeds in and popped...

Just bung all the stuff from the bowl to cook,bring to a boil, and then cover and leave on simmer.

Stir occasionally...don't expect your meal in a jiffy...this is one for the slow cooker.

You need to cook till the mutton is tender...it will look a little ill and bland.

Once the lamb is tender, then you need to exercise your muscle...increase the heat and keep stirring.

you will need to de glaze the pan....or keep adding a little hot water to lift off the flavours from the bottom of the pan.

And your patience will be rewarded.

OK this photo does not do justice...
And how...the aromas would have driven you crazy by now...time to roll out the rotis or bread....

And Attack.

A little coriander and ginger sticks to make the dish look pretty.
This took almost 3 hours to cook, but hubby dear and sweet child were HAPPY!

Easy, but difficult at the same time...
And well worth it!

It does not work with chicken...the chicken will fall of its bone before the onions are cooked. So go with lamb....and you will not be disappointed.



So what are you baking today???