Lamb kheema

Last weekend Salil decided to make kheema pav. While I watched over the little one, he cooked the kheema, which turned out to be the most amazing kheema I have tasted. I had to get him to remember the recipe so I could make a note of it. This was quite easy as he adapted Sanjeev Kapoor's kheema recipe. :) The link to the original is here. Thank you Sanjeev Kapoor! 

Usually peas are added too but Salil doesn't like peas so he has left them out (rolling eyes). He also added fresh chillies later after taking out the little one's portion but in the method below I have added them at the start. 

Ingredients

500 gms organic lamb mince 

2 tbsp ghee or butter

1 tsp cumin

1 black cardamom

5-6 cloves

5-6 peppercorns

1 inch stick of cinnamon

2 Bay leaves

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp garam masala

1 small piece of mace

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 onions, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 green chillies (finely chopped)

1 cup water

Coriander to garnish

Method

Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the cumin, black cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, mace and bay leaves and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the onions and fry for a few minutes on a medium flame, until golden brown. Add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds. 

Add tomatoes and fry for a few minutes, until the ghee/butter starts to separate. Add lamb mince and fry until browned (3-4 minutes).

Add turmeric powder and coriander powder. Add the water, cover and simmer on a low flame for 20-25 minutes until the mince is cooked through. 

Add the garam masala powder, mix well and cover again. Cook for a few more minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. 

Eat! :) 

Aloo matar (Potato and green peas curry)

I was looking in the fridge today, thinking of what to make, and I saw potatoes which I had boiled yesterday. My first thought was to make a quick potato stir-fry (aloo sabzi / batata bhaaji), but I decided not to, as I make it quite often, and instead thought of making a potato and green peas curry (aloo matar), which I hadn't made in a long time (now wondering if I had even made it before). 

I haven't used any chilli in this recipe because I also wanted my little one to be able to eat it. We usually love eating spicy food but then that involves making separate meals for the little one and for us, and every time that happens, the little one insists on eating from our plate! Although non spicy, this dish isn't bland as I have used ginger, garlic and a spice mix which has given it lots of flavour. The spice mix (goda masala) I have used is homemade (My mum makes this at home and gives us a big container whenever we meet :)) but this can be substituted with store bought garam masala. One thing to remember is that store bought spices can be stronger or spicier so best to add less first, taste the dish and then add more if needed.

Ingredients

2 Onions, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, pureed 
3 potatoes, boiled and diced
1 cup green peas (I used frozen peas which I defrosted) 
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp goda masala (or garam masala)
2 cups of water
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup chopped coriander

Salt to taste

Method

Heat the oil on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them sputter. Add in the onion and a pinch of salt and fry for 5-7 minutes until the onion softens. Next add the ginger paste and garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder and fry for 2-3 minutes before adding the tomato puree and the goda masala (or garam masala). Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add the potatoes, peas and and half of the coriander along with 2 cups of water. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. If you like the curry to be thicker, add only about a cup of water and add more only if needed.

Add salt and mix well. Garnish with the remaining coriander. Serve with rotis or rice.  

p.s The little one loved eating aloo matar with rice. Happy baby happy mum :)