“Wazwan” (Inspired) Kashmiri Gosht (Serves 10-12 friends)
- Mutton-2 kilograms
- Onions-1 kilograms,finely chopped
- Whole Kashmiri Chillies(round whole chillies with a sweet skin and a hot interior)
- Kashmiri Mirch powder-3 tablespoons
- Aniseed/Fennel paste-2 tablespoons
- Whole fennel seeds-2 teaspoons
- Tomato Puree-2.5 cups
- Garam Masala powder-2 teaspoons
- Whole Fenugreek-4 teaspoons
- Shahi Cardamom- 6-7 numbers,lightly crushed
- Crushed peppercorns-3 tablespoons
- Yoghurt (to marinate the mutton)
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of saffron(soaked in 1/4th cup of warm milk
- Oil-3 tablespoons & Ghee-3 tablespoons
- Marinate the mutton with the yoghurt and salt for 4-6 hours to make it tender.
- In a heavy bottom skillet, heat the oil and the ghee till its smokes slightly.Add whole kashmiri chillies. Once the aroma of the smoked chillies entices you enough, add the fenugreek, peppercorns, whole cardamom and the fennel seeds. Add chopped onions and cook till it is brownish pink. Add all the other ingredients(garam masala,tomato puree and the fennel paste). Add salt to taste and warm water,if required
- Add the marinated mutton and slow cook it on medium to low fire, till the oil starts separating from the masala. Transfer to a pressure-cooker and cook till tender(usually 15 minutes would be sufficient)
- Add a dash of the saffron infused milk.
- Serve it with fine white Basmati rice
Sambrita Basu is a food-fascinated travel writer and photographer based out of Bangalore India. A background and a degree in hospitality and restaurant management paved her interest in food. As the secretary of the institution’s editorial club, she contributed regularly and wrote about food in their annual magazine, A la Carte.
Sambrita has published interviews of celebrity authors and business veterans in international publications like Infineon. Her contributions also include photographs on foods and restaurants of Bangalore for DNA—a leading newspaper publication in Bangalore. Sambrita’s creative expressions transport readers to alleys, hotels, hide-outs, restaurants, attics, and spice markets in several cities across the world.
Sam (as she is popularly known by her friends and family) doesn’t write for a living, but she lives to write.