MEAT CHHENCHKI

Ingredients

• 500 g meat, cut into small cubes (Any bone-in or boneless meat works — lamb, goat, or beef are traditional choices. Cut into roughly 2–3 cm cubes.)
• 1 teaspoon salt (Adjust to taste.)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric paste (Make a paste by mixing ground turmeric with just enough water to form a thick consistency.)
• 2 medium onions, finely ground into a paste (Blend or pound in a mortar until smooth.)
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, ground into a paste (Blend or pound with the onions to form a combined paste.)
• 3 tablespoons ghee (Use more if needed during cooking — the original recipe notes additional ghee may be added later if necessary.)
• 1 tablespoon ginger juice (Extract by grating fresh ginger and squeezing the pulp firmly through a fine cloth or sieve.)
• 0.5 teaspoon powdered black pepper (Freshly ground is best for a sharper flavour.)
• 0.5 teaspoon garam masala (Use a ready-made garam masala powder.)
• 4 tablespoons water (Added in small sprinkles during cooking — keep a small cup nearby. Do not add all at once.)

Instructions

1. 1Prepare your pastes before you begin cooking. For the onion and garlic paste: peel the onions and garlic cloves, then blend or pound them together in a mortar until completely smooth. For the turmeric paste: stir ground turmeric with just enough water to form a thick paste (about 1 teaspoon turmeric to ½ teaspoon water). For the ginger juice: grate a piece of fresh ginger, then wrap the grated pulp in a clean cloth and squeeze firmly over a small bowl to extract the juice. Measure out all remaining ingredients so they are ready to add.
2. 2Place the small cubes of meat in a large bowl. Add the salt, turmeric paste, onion paste, and garlic paste. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spoon, making sure every piece of meat is evenly coated in the paste mixture.
3. 3Place a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. Add the ghee and let it melt and heat until it begins to shimmer — this takes about 1 minute. Add the coated meat pieces to the pan in a single layer. Fry, turning the pieces occasionally with a spoon or spatula, for 15 to 20 minutes. The meat will release its moisture first and then begin to fry and colour. Keep the heat at medium — too high and the coating will burn before the meat cooks through. If the pan becomes very dry at any point, sprinkle a small amount of water (1 tablespoon at a time) to prevent sticking, and continue frying.
4. 4After 15 to 20 minutes of frying, add the ginger juice, powdered black pepper, and garam masala to the pan. If the pan looks dry or the spices are sticking, add a little more ghee at this point. Stir everything together well so the spices coat the meat evenly. Continue cooking for a further 5 minutes, sprinkling small amounts of water (1 tablespoon at a time) at intervals if needed to keep the meat from burning and to help soften it. The water should sizzle and evaporate quickly — you are not making a gravy, just steaming the meat lightly.
5. 5Continue cooking, turning the meat occasionally, until every piece is a deep brown colour all over and the coating is dark and fragrant — this is the sign the dish is done. The exterior should look almost caramelised with the spice coating. Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the meat to a serving dish and serve immediately.