Shandaar Murgh Rasa

This is an experimental dish inspired by Malvani cuisine. Malvan is the southernmost coastal district of Maharashtra State in India. It has its own standard cuisine which is also most popular along the Konkan region (coastal districts of Maharashtra, Goa and north west Karnataka states). This region follow a distinct way of cooking food and mostly use coconut in various forms such as dry grated, coconut milk, fried paste etc.

Being in the Konkan region, this cuisine is predominantly non-vegetarian and spicy as they use many masalas like red chillies, pepper corns and garam masala. Fish dishes dominate this cuisine and those fiery sea food curries may be too hot to handle for outsiders but definitely worth its taste. The spice level can be altered as per one's preference.

Now let's go to the recipe.....

Cooking Time: 30-40 mins                      Servings: 4 

Preparation Time: 20 mins                      Category:  Main course, Non-Veg

Ingredients:-

=========

Chicken - 500 gms

Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste (including for masala)

Lime Juice (optional) - 1/2 tsps (Hung curd/yogurt can also be used to reduce the hot spicy flavor)

Cooking oil (groundnut oil for fish/mutton) - 2/3 tbsps

Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 stick 

For Masala

Shandaar Murgh Rasa

-------------

Onions - 2, chopped

Tomatoes - 2, chopped

Red chillies - 4

Cinnamon (Dalchini) - 1 medium stick

Cardamom (Elaichi) - 4

Cloves (Laung) - 8-10

Peppercorns (Kali mirch)  - 5

Black cumin seeds (Shahi Jeera) - 1 tsp

Fennel seeds (saunf) - 1 tsp

Star Anise (chakra phool) - 2

Grated dry coconut - 1 medium size 

Sesame seeds (thill) - 2 tsp

Cashew Nuts (Kaju) - 50 gms

Cooking oil - 2 tsp

Bay leaf - 1/2

Masala preparation:-

-----------------------

• Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorn, red chillies, black cumin seeds, fennel seeds, start anise and roast them for 2 mins.
• Then add the grated dry coconut, sesame seeds and roast them for another couple of mins.
• Now add chopped onions and saute until it turns light brown, then add the chopped tomotoes and saute for a minute.
• Turn off the stove and let it cool. When done, blend this into a thick masala paste. Little water can be added to make it into paste.

Preparation Method (curry):-

==================

• Wash chicken well and take it in a bowl. Add chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, turmeric & coriander powders, salt and lime juice. Mix them well and let this marinade at least for an hour.
• Heat the oil in a cooking vessel and add the marinated chicken, mix well and cook for 15 mins.
• Now add the masala paste and 2 small cups of water, mix well and let it simmer for another 20 mins or until it starts oozing out the oil (which means the chicken & masala is properly cooked).
• Keep stirring at regular intervals to avoid masala sticking to the bottom of the vessel.
• Add another cup of water or cook for some more time as per your required consistency of the gravy.
• Turn off the stove and take it into a serving bowl. Garnish with finely chopped coriander, couple of red chillies and serve hot.
• This dish goes very well with any of the Indian breads (roti, naan, kulcha), chapathi, paratha, jeera rice, bagara rice or steamed rice.

Palamooru Kodi Kura

Palamoor/Palamuru is the old name of the present Mahabubnagar in Telangana state. Many cherished memories of mine are associated with this place as I did my graduation from one of the colleges in Mahabubnagar town. Having spent majority of my college days there with many local friends, I have had the privilege to visit some interior villages nearby. Being a food enthusiast, I had the opportunity of trying few local dishes like Palamuru pottelu kura, nalli mamsam kura, kalchina kura etc. The one dish that stood out most was Kodi Kura that I still remember its taste. So, tried to recreate that dish with a little experiment of my own. It turned out well and my family/cousins have relished this dish. 

Telangana cuisine was unexplored until recently. But now it is slowly gaining its popularity in and around Hyderabad (thanks to few restaurants in the city which have included some local recipes in their menu) and will eventually move to other states. If observed, Telangana cuisine will have equal amounts of chilli and masala in most of the recipes as compared to Andhra cuisine which is more of chilli based.

Here is the recipe 

Cooking Time: 30-40 mins                  Servings:  4 
Preparation Time: 15 mins                 Category:  Main course, Non-Veg. 

Ingredients:
=========
Chicken (bone/boneless) - 500 gms
Onion sliced - 1
Green Chillies - 5

Palamooru Kodi Kura

Red chillies - 5
Mint leaves - 1 stick
Coriander - 1 stick
Garlic - 5 cloves
Ginger - about an 1/2 inch cube nicely diced
Star anise seeds - 5 or 6
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 small stick
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Cooking oil - 4 tbsp
Cloves - 4/5
Bay leaf - 1


Preparation Method:
=============

• Heat a pan and dry roast cumin, fennel, coriander, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, green & red chillies, star anise, cinnamon etc. When they start to pop, add sliced onions, chopped mint & coriander leaves and dry roast for about another 10 mins on low heat.
• Take these out and when cold blend all these into a thick paste and keep aside.
• In a bowl, take the chicken pieces and add half of this paste, turmeric powder, 1 tsp lemon juice. Mix well and let it marinade for 1 hr. (Adding chilli powder is optional. In case you wish to, add no more than 1 tsp as we already have green & red chillies and garam masala)
• Heat the oil in a kadai/cooking vessel. Add cloves, bay leaf and after few seconds add the marinated chicken to it. Mix well and close the vessel with a lid. Cook for 20 mins on high heat (stirring at regular intervals to avoid the paste sticking at the bottom of the vessel).
• Add the remaining paste and lemon juice, salt, 1 cup of water and mix well. Cook until the dish starts to ooze out the oil and the gravy thickens.
• Now add garam masala, stir it well and turn off the stove/heat.
• Take the dish into a serving bowl. Garnish with sliced onion rings & fried green chillies and serve hot. This dish goes well with jawar roti, tandoori roti, naan, chapathi, steam rice and Bagara Rice too.

Mamidikaya Mamsam Kura

Mutton/lamb cooked in spices with raw mangoes makes this a unique dish which is commonly known as 'Mamidikaya Mamsam Kura (Mango Mutton curry)'. It is one of the popular mutton dishes in the Telugu states of South India.
One of my favorite dishes along with Chinta Chiguru Mamsam. They are just irresistible!

Cooking Time: 30 mins                      Servings: 3 
Preparation Time: 15 mins                Category:  Main course, Non-Veg


Ingredients:
========

Mamidikaya Mamsam Kura

Mutton/lamb - 250 gms (cut into small pieces)
Fresh raw mangoes - 2 (peel the skin and cut into medium sized pieces)
Onions - 1 (finely diced)
Coriander leaves - 1 small cup
Green Chillies - 4 (sliced)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp


 
Preparation Method:
==============

• Wash the mutton or lamb in warm water couple of times, drain the water out and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a cooker and saute onion until they turn golden brown or get caramelized.
• Add green chillies and half cup finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. You can use coriander powder as an alternative instead of coriander leaves.
• After couple of minutes, add mutton/lamb, ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder.
• Mix well, add 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Turn off the stove and let the pressure settle down.
• Open the lid and add chilli powder, salt to taste, mango pieces and two cups of water. 
• Now turn on the stove and cook for 10 mins.
• When the dish starts to ooze out the oil and the sauce thickens, turn off the stove, add garam masala and take the dish into a serving bowl.
• Garnish with remaining finely chopped coriander and serve hot.
• This dish goes best steam rice and can also be served with any of the Indian breads.

Methi Chicken

Methi Chicken or Murgh methi is a dish prepared with chicken combined with fresh methi (fenu greek) leaves. Both chicken and methi compliment each other. The earthy aroma of the methi leaves blends well with the chicken and when cooked properly, the outcome is an out-rightly delicious curry. This is one of the popular dishes in Telangana home cuisine. An ideal dish for lunch/dinner or any get together/parties.
In few restaurants this dish is served under North Indian or Punjabi cuisine, where kasuri methi is used instead of fresh methi leaves. It tastes good but lacks the punch of the fresh methi leaves. There are only few restaurants that serves this dish better in Hyderabad and Ulavacharu is the best among them.

 
Cooking Time: 40 mins                      Servings: 5 
Preparation Time: 15 mins                Category:  Main course, Non-Veg

Methi Chicken

Ingredients:
========
Boneless Chicken breast - 250 gms (diced into medium cubes)
Fresh Methi leaves - About 1 medium cup (soak it in water with salt for 10-15 mins and then drain out the water)
Onions - 1 (finely diced)
Coriander leaves - 1 small cup (for garnishing and in curry)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Saunf powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Yogurt - 1 small cup
Vegetable or cooking oil - 2 tbsp


Preparation Method:
=============

• Take chicken in a bowl and add ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, and about 1/2 cup yogurt. Mix them well and keep it aside to marinade.
• Heat oil in a cooking vessel and saute onion until they turn golden brown or get caramelized.
• Add saunf powder and half cup finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. You can use coriander powder as an alternative instead of coriander leaves.
• After couple of minutes, add the marinated chicken. Mix well and cook for about 15 mins. 
• Add methi leaves to the dish, stir well and cook for another 10 mins with a closed lid.
• Open the lid and add the remaining yogurt. Mix well to avoid it to form lumps. Let the dish simmer for another 10-15 mins.
• When the dish starts to ooze out the oil and the gravy thickens, turn off the stove, add garam masala and take the dish into a serving bowl.
• Garnish with remaining finely chopped coriander and serve hot.
• This dish goes well with any of the Indian breads, steam rice, fried/jeera rice and Hyderabadi Bagara rice.

Lazeez Murgh

Lazeez Murgh is one of the classic chicken dishes of Hyderabad. The origins of this dish goes way back during the times of Nizams. But often this dish is mistaken to that of a punjabi dish with similar name i.e. Lazeez Murgh Tikka Masala. Though some of the ingredients for both these dishes are same, the recipe is totally different. 

I got an opportunity to taste this dish in one of the Indian restaurants during my stay at the US. Just after a bite, I could make out this dish surely comes either from the kitchen's of Lucknow Nawabs or Hyderabadi Nizams. Not to my surprise, the chef was a Hyderabadi and from Old city. He was so polite and kind enough that when I asked, he shared the recipe to me without any hesitation (may be due to the 'Hyderabad' connection we both had in common). I was looking for this in all the restaurants I'd been too in Hyderabad and hardly came across the one which serves this dish baring few, one of them being 'Ohri's-Guffa' at Basheerbagh.

This is one such dish that surely makes any dining table royal just by it's rich aroma, tangy and spicy flavors. Definitely worth in any menu. So here goes the recipe:-

Cooking Time:  30 mins                                                                             Servings:  4
Preparation Time:  45 mins                                                                       Category:  Main Course - Non-Veg 

Ingredients:
========
Boneless Chicken - 250 gms
Tej patta/bay leaves - 2

Lazeez Murgh

Cloves - 4
Crushed Cinnamon sticks - 2
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp 
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Saunf powder - 1/2 tsp 
Yogurt - 1 cup
Amchur Powder - 1 tsp 
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Onion paste - 1 cup (roast them for a couple of mins in a pan and then blend to a paste)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsps
Ghee - 2 Tbsps.
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander and roasted garlic cloves - for garnishing


Preparation Method:
=============

• Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and drain them into a vessel.
• To it add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, amchur powder, salt to taste, garam masala powder, coriander powder, yogurt. Mix them well and let it marinade for 30 mins
• Heat ghee in a cooking vessel and add bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves. Saute for couple of mins. Add saunf powder and mix well.
• Now add the marinated chicken, mix and cook for about 15 mins on medium flame.
• Add the onion paste to this and mix it gently. Then add 2 cups of water, close the vessel with a lid and cook for another 10 mins on medium to low flame.
• Open the vessel, mix for one last time and take the dish into a serving bowl.
• You can make a tempering with mustard, jeera, dry red chillies, finely chopped coriander and garlic cloves and garnish the dish else garnish it with finely chopped coriander and garlic cloves.
• Serve hot with steam rice, any Indian breads, chapathis, Hyderabadi Bagara rice or any rice dish.

Murg Hara Masala

Murg Hara Masala, as the name suggests chicken is cooked in hara (green) masala, generally a blend of mint leaves, coriander & green chillies. This dish is famous in Punjabi cuisine and mouth-watering delight. Some parts of India, even spinach is added to the hara masala. This dish can be made both in gravy style or as a starter. The starter is usually called chicken hariyali kebabs, boneless chicken is marinated in the hara masala and are grilled on skewers in a tandoor. In the gravy , chicken is cooked in an authentic style with great combination of hara masala & spices. This recipe is for the gravy version.

Cooking Time:  30 mins                                                                             Servings: 6
Preparation Time:  45 mins                                                                       Category:  Main Course - Non-Veg


Ingredients:
========

Murg Hara Masala

Chicken - 500 gms
Coriander leaves - 1 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Green chillies - 5
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsps
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsps
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1 Tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Cooking/vegetable oil - 2 Tbsps
Tej pattha (Bay leaves) - 2 or 3
Cardamom - 3 to 4
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Cloves - 3 to 4

Preparation Method:
=============

• Wash coriander leaves, mint leaves. Along with green chillies, blend them to a fine paste.
• In a vessel, add chicken and all the ingredients, hara masala but for whole garam masalas (tej pattha, cardamom, cinnamon & cloves). Mix it and let it marinade for 30 mins.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add the whole garam masalas. Saute it for a minute.
• Now add the marinated chicken, mix well and cook for 15-20 mins. Stir it regularly to avoid the paste sticking to the kadai.
• Add a small cup of water and simmer it for another 5 mins or until the chicken is completely cooked.
• Turn off the stove, take the dish in a cooking bowl, garnish with sliced ginger sticks and serve hot.
• This dish goes well with steam rice or any Indian breads.

Chicken Lajawaab

Chicken Lajawaab, as the name suggests it truly is a special dish with rich ingredients. There is no one particular recipe as such for this dish. Depending on the region and the traditional background all across India, the recipe has been tweaked and twisted. However, the main essence and most of the ingredients are same. The recipe am going to share here is a twist of that followed in Hyderabad without missing the main essence and taste of the dish......

Cooking Time:  30 mins                                                                             Servings: 4 
Preparation Time: 20 mins                                                                        Category:  Main-course, Non-Veg

Ingredients
Boneless Chicken - 250 gms

Chicken Lajawaab

Onion paste - 2 cups (4-5 onions)
Cumin seeds - 2 tsps
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Pepper corns - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chillies - 4-5 
Yogurt - 1 cup
Cashew Nut paste - 1/2 cup
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Ghee - 2 Tbsps.
Salt to taste
Ginger flakes & finely chopped coriander - for garnish


Preparation Method 

• Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and soak it in water for about half an hour.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin, mustard seeds and pepper corns. Saute it for couple of mins. Add red chillies and saute for another 2 mins.
• Now add onion paste and saute until it starts turning golden brown in color.
• Add the cashew nut paste and mix well.
• After 2 mins, remove the chicken pieces from water and add them to this paste. Mix well and let it cook for 5 mins.
• Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste and mix well.
• When the dish starts to ooze out ghee, add yogurt and the chicken stock (water in which chicken was soaked). Mix well and let it simmer for 15 mins.
• Lower the flame, add garam masala powder and mix the dish well.
• Turn of the stove, take the dish into a serving bowl and garnish it with ginger flakes and chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with Indian bread, naan, romali roti or steam rice, pulav etc.

Aachari Murgh

Cooking Time:  45 mins                                                                            Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 mins                                                                        Category: Main course, Non-Veg


Aachari Murgh is a popular chicken dish of sub-continent region. Chicken is cooked with pickling spices. "Aachar" means "pickle" and "Murgh" is "chicken". Well am Sharing the way I made it. Its more kind of a main course with thick gravy...it's easy, simple, spicy!

Ingredients

-------------

Chicken - 500 gms (with bone and mixed pieces)

Onions - 2

Ginger - 1"

Garlic - 2 cloves

Aachari Murgh

Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) - 1/4 tsps.

Black Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsps.

Cumin seeds (jeera) - 3/4 tsps.

Fennel seeds (saunf) - 1/2 tsps.

Carom seeds (ajwain) - 1/2 tsp.

Nigella seeds (kalongi) - 3/4 tsps.

Garam Masala powder - 1 tsps.

Crushed Black pepper - 1/2 tsps.

Green Chillies - 2

Dry red chillies - 3

Red chilli powder - 1 Tbsps.

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsps.

Coriander powder - 1 tsps.

Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsps.

Salt - to taste

Mustard Oil/Cooking oil - 2 Tbsps.

Curd - 1 cup

Preparation Method

----------------------

• Wash and pat dry chicken pieces.
• Marinade chicken with ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Keep aside
• Crush garlic cloves, chop ginger into thin 1 inch slices and keep aside.
• Finely slice onions and blend it into a paste adding little water.
• Head 1 Tbsp of oil in a vessel and add the onion paste. Cook it until it starts changing to light golden colour.
• Now add the marinated chicken, crushed black pepper, stir well and cook for 10 mins.
• Whisk the curd and add it to the dish and stir well again.
• Turn the stove to medium, close the vessel with a lid and let it simmer until the dish oozes out the oil (usually takes about 15-20 mins). This means chicken and all the masalas are cooked well. Now remove the lid and  stir gently.
• For tempering (or tadka), heat remaining oil in a kadai and add crushed garlic cloves, ginger slices, cumin, fennel, carom, fenugreek, nigella & mustard seeds.
• Once they start to splutter, add green and red chillies and sauté them for 2 mins on medium flame.
• Add this tempering to the dish and let it simmer for 5 mins.
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander (optional). Turn off the stove and serve hot with Indian breads, chapathi or phulkas.

Kheema Mutter

Cooking Time:  45 mins to 1 Hr                                                                 Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 20 mins                                                                        Category: Main course, Non-Veg


Meat mince is commonly known as Kheema in India. Kheema Mutter and is one of the most relished and most sought after dishes of all non-veg lovers in Hyderabad. Theorigin of this dish comes from Mughalai cuisine and it is evenly popular all across India and the main ingredients remain same which ever part you visit.



Kheema Mutter

Ingredients
------------
Kheema - 500 gms
Mutter (fresh green peas) - 100 gms
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Finely chopped Onions - 5
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies, sliced - 4
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Ground nut oil - 4 tbsp
Coriander, finely chopped - 2 sticks




Preparation Method

----------------------

• Wash the kheema in warm water thorougly. Drain out the water and keep it in a bowl.
• To it, add chilly powder, salt, dhaniya powder, turmeric, ginger & garlic paste, 1/2 tsp garam masala. Mix well and let it marinade for half an hour.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add onions. Saute it until they turn light golden in color. Now add mutter (peas) and cook for 5 mins.
• Add the marinated kheema to it, mix well and cook on high flame with a closed lid. Keep stirring so that meat wont be over cooked and charred.
• When all the water from meat oozes out and let it simmer until the meat is completely cooked.
• When done all the remaining garam masala and mix well.
• Garnish with coriander, server hot with plain rice, poori or tandoori roti.

Note: Mutter can also be replaced with Alu or methi leaves

Naatu Kodi Koora

Cooking Time: 45 mins                                                    Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 mins                                              Category: Maincourse, Non-Veg


"Natu Kodi" means country/village chicken. Compared to the regular broiler chicken available in market, this one has a strong and unqiue flavor. The country chicken curry is very famous across many villages of south Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Generally, this dish is prepared using clay pot as it is considered to be hygenic, pure and healthy and it also adds the strong essence to this dish's flavor. This dish is exclusively prepared for "Sankranti/Pongal" festival.
In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the clay pot used for cooking is called a chatti. This is usually used in the villages by the working classes, especially for cooking heavily spiced, hot fish & meat curries in traditional style. In many Hyderabad restaurants, the famouse biryani is prepared and served in clay pots.
Here is the recipe:



Naatu Kodi Koora

Ingredients:
---------------
Natu Kodi/Country Chicken - 1 kg
Green chillies - 6
Onions - 4
Tomatoes - 4
Curry leaves - 10
Mint/Pudina - 1 stick
Coriander/Cilantro - 2 sticks
Red Chilli powder - 1 Tbsp
Salt - per taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Cooking oil - 4 Tbsps


For the chicken masala powder
-------------------------------------
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsps
Red Chillies - 8
Black Peppercorns - 6
Cardamom - 2
Heat a pan and dry roast all the masala ingredients and then blend them into a fine powder.

Marinade:
------------
Wash chicken thoroughly and take it in a vessel. Make sure there is no water at all. Now add turmeric, chilli powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, a table spoon of curry masala and a tsp of oil to it. Mix it well and let it marinade for 1/2 hr.

Preparation Method:

------------------------

 

• Dice onions and cut tomatoes into small pieces. Then finely chop mint and coriander leaves and keep them aside.
• Take a cooking vessel and heat oil in it. Add diced onions to it and cook until it turns golden brown.
• Add sliced green chilles and then tomatoes to it. Stir it well until onions and tomatoes are properly cooked and becomes like a thick gravy.
• Now add the marinated chicken to it and mix the dish very well. Simmer it until all the water released by chicken is evaporated.
• Add chopped mint leaves, remaining curry masala powder (chilli powder, if required). Mix it well and cook for 10 mins
• Add 4 cups of water, mix the dish and let it cook for another 10 mins on high flame.
• Once is chicken is properly cooked, turn off the stove and add garam masala powder.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with plain rice, roti, chapati, biryani etc.

Hyderbadi Lal Gosht

Cooking Time:       45 mins                            Servings: 5
Preparation Time: 10 mins                             Category: Maincourse - Non-Veg

Gosht is the transliteration for the Persian word 'laal maas' with meaning meat or flesh, which has been adopted by other South Asian languages. In India, gosht dishes are likely to be made with goat or mutton and the term "mutton" is more likely to mean goat rather than adult sheep, as it does elsewhere in the English-speaking world.

As the Hindu religion specially prohibits eating beef, and Islam prohibits the eating of pork, Indian gosht is not traditionally made with these meats. When Indian dishes are translated and adapted for Western audiences, lamb is the meat most often used in the adaptation. This has led to a common misconception that gosht means "lamb". In common Indian English the dishes made from any sort of meat are termed as Non-Veg. (Non-Vegetarian); in contrast with most of the Indians being Vegetarian (in fact Lacto-Vegetarian). 

Variations include bhuna ghosht, kadhai gosht, raan gosht, dal gosht, nihari gosht, hara Gosht and saag gosht. Now, lets see the recipe for Hyderabadi Lal Gosht:-

Ingredients:

---------------

Mutton - 1/2 Kg (boneless or with bones)

Cooking oil - 3 tsps

Onions - 2, finely chopped

Hyderabadi Lal Gosht

Tomato puree/sauce - 2 tsp

Cloves - 4

Cinnamon sticks - 2

Cardamom - 4

Bay leaves - 2

Water - 1 cup

 For marinade

----------------

Yogurt - 2 cups
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 2 to 3 tsps
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Mint leaves - 1 stick, finely chopped
Coriander/Cilantro - 1 stick, finely chopped
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Black Pepper powder - 1 tsp

For seasoning

-----------------

Shahi jeera or black cumin - 1 tsp

Cooking oil - 2 tsps

Green chillies - 2 slit

Curry leaves - 4 or 5

Preparation:

--------------

• Wash mutton properly, dran out the water and take it into a bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients to it, mix well and and keep the marinade in refigirator for about an hour.
• Heat cooking oil in a vessel and add bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and saute it for couple of mins.
• Add chopped onions and saute it until they turn crisp and golden brown in color. Then add tomato puree/sauce and simmer the mix for 5 mins.
• Now add the marinated mutton to it and mix very well. Let it cook it for 10 mins on high flame.
• Add some water and cook for another 20 mins on medium flame. Stir it at regular intervals.
• Then simmer it for another 10 mins. Turn of the stove and take the dish to a serving bowl.
• Heat 2 tsps of oil in a small pan and add black cumin/sahi jeera, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute it for couple of mins and add this to the dish.
• Serve the curry hot with romali roti, tandoori roti, ghee rice etc.

Chinta chiguru Mutton

Chinta chiguru mutton/lamb is a dish where meat is cooked with tender or dried tamarind leaves. These leaves are available only in a particular season during April-June. These leaves are considered to have a lot of medicinal properties too. I saw bottled tamarind leaves available in many Indian stores across USA in all seasons. So, those who stay there can prepare this dish any season unlike people here.

Cooking Time: 40-45 mins                      Servings: 5 
Preparation Time: 15-20 mins                Category:  Main course, Non-Veg

It is one of my favorites and I just love this dish. Now lets see how to prepare it:-

Chinta chiguru Mutton

Ingredients:
========
Mutton/Lamb - 500 gms (I prefer boneless)
Tamarind leaves - 100 gms
Onions, finely chopped - 100 gms
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Red Chilly powder - 2 Tsp
Oil - 2 Tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Preparation Method:
=============

• Wash meat properly and drain out the water completely. Now add ginger garlic paste, chilly powder, coriander powder and mix it well. Keep this marinade aside for 15 mins
• Heat a vessel on stove and add oil. When it is heated, add mustard and cumin seeds and when they start to crackle add onions, turmeric and stir them well.
• Once the onions turn light golden in color add the mutton marinade and cook it for about 15 mins.
• Add two medium cups of water such that the dish is completely immersed. Simmer it for another 10 mins.
• Now add the tamarind leaves, salt to taste and mix well.
• Cook for another 15 mins on low flame and turn off the stove. Add garam masala powder and still well.
• Garnish with slit green chillies or coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice, chapathi, bagara rice or roti etc.