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The festive season is on – and it is time to bring on those special menus that give you a chance to indulge your taste buds… even if it means not sticking to your diet for a dew days!
For today’s celebration, we have picked a traditional delicacy from Kashmir: Gushtaba, a part of Kashmir’s famed Wazwan cuisine. P Mark Mustard Oil is proud to be included in this rich culinary tradition, having been an integral part of Kashmiri cooking for decades – since 1933.
Here’s what you will need for this recipe:
• Mutton: 800 grams, boneless and minced
• Mutton fat: 200 grams
• Fennel Powder: 2 tablespoons
• Coriander Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Dry Fenugreek leaves: powdered to 1 tablespoon
• Cumin powder: 1 tablespoon
• Cumin: 1 teaspoon
• Black Cardamom: 2, crushed
• Green Cardamom: 2, crushed
• Black Cardamom seeds: 2 tablespoons
• Cinnamon: 2 large pieces
• Bay leaves: 2
• Cloves: 5, crushed
• Onions: 3, medium sized chopped
• Egg: 1
• Yoghurt: 300 grams
• Mustard Oil: 150 ml
• Ghee: 1 tablespoon
• Salt: 1 tablespoon
• Coriander or Mint: for garnishing
Alright, so now that you have all your ingredients let’s get started!
First, place the mutton mince in a mixing bowl and add the black cardamom seeds, half a tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoon of mustard oil and egg white – and mix thoroughly.
Take a piece of clean thin white cotton cloth (with no starch in it) around 3 inches by 3 inches; place the remaining salt along with cumin powder, cinnamon powder, fennel powder, coriander powder, fenugreek powder, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves in the cloth and tie it into a little bundle. Keep aside.
Take the minced mutton mixture and form it into small balls – around 30 grams each. Keep aside.
Take a large pan and pour in one litre of water. Add the bay leaves along with the spice bundle and heat on full flame. As soon as the water begins to boil add the mutton balls and continue boiling on medium flame till most of the liquid evaporates.
Take another bowl and pour in around 200 ml of water. Remove the spice bundle from the pan place it in the bowl and squeeze it thoroughly. You can now throw the spice bundle away – its job is done.
Now pour the water in the bowl into the pan and boil once again for around 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the flame.
Pour the remaining mustard oil into a frying pan; add the chopped onions and fry them till they take on a golden brown texture. Once the onions are done, grind them and put them back in the frying pan. Now add the yoghurt and the cumin seeds and boil on a medium flame; keep stirring the mixture to ensure that the yoghurt does not curdle.
Take this mixture and pour it into the pan containing the mutton balls and the spiced gravy. Add the ghee and cook on a low flame for around five minutes.
Pour your Gushtaba into a suitable serving dish, garnish it with coriander leaves or mint leaves and serve it hot. Traditionally, Gushtaba is served with steaming hot Basmati rice.
Enjoy your celebration!
