MEAT BHARTA

Name: MEAT BHARTA
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Ghee (Use enough to coat the bottom of the pan generously; ghee is clarified butter available at Indian grocery stores or large supermarkets.); 3 leaves Cassia leaves (Also known as Indian bay leaves (tej patta); different from Mediterranean bay leaves — find them at Indian grocery stores.); 4 whole Cloves (Whole cloves; use sparingly as they are very pungent.); 2 tablespoons, finely chopped Fresh ginger (Peel and finely chop the ginger before use.); 700 grams, cut into medium pieces Boneless meat (Traditionally mutton or lamb; cut into roughly 4 cm pieces. Trim excess fat if desired.); 1 teaspoon, or to taste Salt (Add to taste; you can adjust later in cooking.); 2 tablespoons Coriander paste (Make by blending fresh coriander leaves (and/or coriander seeds) with a little water into a smooth paste using a blender or mortar and pestle.); 250 ml, or sufficient to cover meat Water (Add enough water to just cover the meat in the pot.); 2 tablespoons Poppy seed paste (Soak white poppy seeds (khus khus) in warm water for 30 minutes, then grind to a smooth paste using a blender or mortar and pestle.); 12 whole Almonds (Can be blanched and roughly chopped, or left whole. Blanching (soaking in boiling water for a few minutes and peeling) is traditional.); 4 tablespoons Khowa (khoa), fried and powdered (Khowa is dried, solidified milk available at Indian grocery stores. To prepare: crumble it into a dry frying pan over medium heat and stir continuously until it turns golden and dry. Remove from heat, cool completely, then crush into a fine powder using a rolling pin or food processor.); 4 tablespoons Curd (plain yoghurt) (Use plain, unsweetened full-fat yoghurt (dahi). Bring to room temperature before adding to avoid curdling.); 1 teaspoon Sugar (Balances the richness of the dish; adjust to taste.); 2 tablespoons Ghee (for finishing) (Heat a separate small pan of ghee until it just begins to smoke before pouring over the finished dish.); 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder (Use a ready-made garam masala powder; sprinkle over at the very end for maximum aroma.)

A rich, slow-cooked Indian meat dish where boneless pieces are browned in ghee with aromatic spices, then simmered with coriander paste, poppy seeds, almonds, and khowa until the gravy becomes thick and deeply flavoured. Finished with a drizzle of boiling ghee and garam masala for a fragrant, indulgent result.

⏱ Prep: 20m

🍳 Cook: 1h

⏰ Total: 1h 20m

🍽 Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Ghee (Use enough to coat the bottom of the pan generously; ghee is clarified butter available at Indian grocery stores or large supermarkets.)
3 leaves Cassia leaves (Also known as Indian bay leaves (tej patta); different from Mediterranean bay leaves — find them at Indian grocery stores.)
4 whole Cloves (Whole cloves; use sparingly as they are very pungent.)
2 tablespoons, finely chopped Fresh ginger (Peel and finely chop the ginger before use.)
700 grams, cut into medium pieces Boneless meat (Traditionally mutton or lamb; cut into roughly 4 cm pieces. Trim excess fat if desired.)
1 teaspoon, or to taste Salt (Add to taste; you can adjust later in cooking.)
2 tablespoons Coriander paste (Make by blending fresh coriander leaves (and/or coriander seeds) with a little water into a smooth paste using a blender or mortar and pestle.)
250 ml, or sufficient to cover meat Water (Add enough water to just cover the meat in the pot.)
2 tablespoons Poppy seed paste (Soak white poppy seeds (khus khus) in warm water for 30 minutes, then grind to a smooth paste using a blender or mortar and pestle.)
12 whole Almonds (Can be blanched and roughly chopped, or left whole. Blanching (soaking in boiling water for a few minutes and peeling) is traditional.)
4 tablespoons Khowa (khoa), fried and powdered (Khowa is dried, solidified milk available at Indian grocery stores. To prepare: crumble it into a dry frying pan over medium heat and stir continuously until it turns golden and dry. Remove from heat, cool completely, then crush into a fine powder using a rolling pin or food processor.)
4 tablespoons Curd (plain yoghurt) (Use plain, unsweetened full-fat yoghurt (dahi). Bring to room temperature before adding to avoid curdling.)
1 teaspoon Sugar (Balances the richness of the dish; adjust to taste.)
2 tablespoons Ghee (for finishing) (Heat a separate small pan of ghee until it just begins to smoke before pouring over the finished dish.)
1 teaspoon Garam masala powder (Use a ready-made garam masala powder; sprinkle over at the very end for maximum aroma.)

Instructions

1Before you begin cooking, prepare all your ingredients: finely chop the ginger, cut the meat into medium-sized pieces (about 4 cm), make the coriander paste by blending fresh coriander with a little water, soak the poppy seeds in warm water for 30 minutes then blend into a paste, and prepare the fried powdered khowa by crumbling it into a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring until golden, cooling completely, and then crushing to a fine powder. Have all other measured ingredients ready beside the stove before you start cooking.
2Place a large, heavy-based pot or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the ghee and allow it to melt and heat until it shimmers — about 1 minute. Add the cassia leaves and cloves and fry for about 30 seconds until they begin to sizzle and release their fragrance. Add the chopped ginger and fry for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Now add the boneless meat pieces. Spread them out in a single layer as best you can and cook, stirring every minute or so, until the meat has turned reddish brown on all sides. This browning step is important for developing deep flavour — do not rush it.
3Once the meat is reddish brown, reduce the heat to medium. Add the salt and coriander paste, and stir well to coat all the meat pieces. Pour in sufficient water to just cover the meat (approximately 250 ml). Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot — these add great flavour. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer until the meat is fully softened and tender. This will take approximately 30 to 40 minutes depending on the type and cut of meat. Check occasionally and add a little more water if the pot looks dry.
4Once the meat is soft and tender, add the poppy seed paste, almonds, fried and powdered khowa, curd, and sugar. Stir everything in gently. If the curd is cold, bring it to room temperature first by leaving it out for 15 minutes, as adding cold curd to a very hot pot can cause it to split. Stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes after adding the curd to help it incorporate smoothly. Continue to cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
5Continue to cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the thick mixture from catching on the bottom of the pot. Cook until the gravy (soup) has reduced to a very thick consistency — it should cling to the meat and there should be little to no liquid pooling at the bottom. This stage may take 15 to 20 minutes. Lower the heat if the mixture starts to stick, and keep stirring. The finished texture should be dense and almost dry around the meat pieces.
6In a small saucepan or ladle, heat the finishing ghee over high heat until it just begins to smoke — this takes about 1 minute. Immediately pour the boiling ghee over the thick meat mixture and stir it in quickly. Then sprinkle the powdered garam masala evenly over the top. Give the pot one final stir to incorporate everything. Remove from heat and serve immediately for the best aroma and flavour.