Mutton kheema

My first memory of kheema was the meat puffs sold  in the local bakeries of my hometown in Kuravilangad

Once school started, the most sought after item in our school canteen was also what was called the meat puffs which was minced beef sautéed with spice mix and onion cocooned in a 6-inch long cylindrical freshly baked bread. This was my all-time favorite!

Literally I have begged, borrowed and stole with no regret to get my hands on this baby :D Even the disciplinary action from His and Her Royal Highnesses (a.k.a mom and dad) that followed post discovery of the disappearing 1 Riyals from their wallet and purse respectively did not compromise my relentless effort ;-) Such was my dedication :D

Evidently, the prerequisite for unparalleled motivation with upbeat dedication is the pursuit of a fulfilling reward - WOW! I think I just phrased my own quote!!!! :D :D

The spicy sweetness of the meat mixture with the mouthwatering aroma of the bread, so dark baked brown with a glazing crust stirs nostalgic gourmet memories. One bite into this and I couldn’t wait to take the next bite again, knowing it would be over so soon, and the deep craving would start once again :D :D Such was its effect on me :D

Once my kitchen became active, during grocery shopping, I saw the frozen minced meat and as if my taste center had a memory of its own, it evoked the age-old craving and I decided to make mutton kheema with rice that particular day

Of course it won’t equal the minced beef puffs of schooldays, which I will make as soon as I get an oven ;-) But for now, mutton kheema has to do ;-)

     What I used

1. Minced mutton: 250 grams
2. Sunflower oil or any vegetable oil: ½ cup
3. Finely diced red onions: 2; chopped spring onions: 5 stalks; diced carrots: 1; chopped coriander leaves: a handful
4. Ginger-garlic paste: 2 teaspoons
5. Pepper powder: 1 teaspoon 
6. Store-bought meat masala: 1.5 tablespoon
7. Salt: to taste
8. Chopped green chillies: 2 
9. Cooked frozen green peas: a handful
10. Dried rosemary (optional) : half a sprig
11. Chicken stock/water: as needed
12. Butter: 1 tablespoon

      How I made it

1. In a flat-bottomed pan, heat the oil on low flame and sauté onions with a pinch of salt for about 20 minutes so the onions really soften. PS: This is to bring out the sweetness of the onion
2. Once the onions have softened, add the spring onions and carrots, and cook till they become soft on medium flame with the pan covered  
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and mix the contents and cook for another 5 minutes
4. Now add the meat masala and pepper powder, and cook till the raw smell of masalas are gone. This is the time to add the required amount of salt as well
5. After adding the masalas, if they stick to bottom of pan, add a bit of water or chicken stock to deglaze the pan
6. Now the minced mutton goes in. Mix really well till the meat turns dark in color and all the ingredients are well cooked. PS: The carrots would have mashed and mixed fully with the rest of the content. In short, they might just be invisible ;-) But we know they are there ;-). While the mutton cooks, the water in the meat seeps out, so it gets a bit watery. That's ok... just keep cooking till the gravy reduces
7. Just after the mutton turns dark, add the dried rosemary if you are using it 
   PS: I like the freshness that rosemary gives to meat dishes. Meat composes a heavy part of a meal and can make one feel really full. The presence of herbs mitigates this and make you
   feel... fresh, like the meal wasn't heavy at all ;-)
8. Add the pre-cooked frozen green peas and coriander leaves and cook with the pan covered on medium flame till the liquid has reduced and the kheema becomes solid like the filling of a puffs ;D This should take about 30-40 minutes. Once it's done, add a tablespoon of butter and...
   
   That's it! :D :D

Mutton kheema goes with anything... chappathi, roti, bread, rice.. anything

I had it with rice and just for the heck of it, I mixed the rice and the kheema thoroughly to get a minced mutton biriyani effect :D :D

PS: add some pomegranates also as garnish for a burst of flavors in case you like the tangy sweetness

No dish is ever too hard if one is motivated enough to want a big bite of it ;-) There! another quote! Am I on a roll today or what ;-) Just kidding :D :D

Thanks for reading this. Hope you enjoyed :D :D 

Do try this dish when you can :D