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Sudipta’s Qeema With Peas

 

October, 2006
My friend Sudipta replied to my post: ‘Olympia-Ishtyle’ Qeema.
Here it is in all its unedited glory:

Hey, Tony!
You are an embarassment, men!
Grind the garlic with the ginger, men, and fry it after the onions.
Then as things start sticking to the pan, chuck in the tomatoes (do not be Maharastrian and leave them to boil… fights with the flavour of the meat and you need the tanginess to blend in with the masala).
Keep stirring and venting angst… Once the tomatoes are formless and the whole mixture starts releasing oil then lightly dust with garam masala powder.
Then slide meat in and do not add any water till the meat is cooked in its own juices (20 mins).
Then and only then add powder masalas: chilli, turmeric, cumin, corriander.
Add water, cook a bit more and toss in the peas and green masala when the gravy is just the right consistency.
Take it off the gas and for the Miya touch pour a teaspoon of ghee or butter on top.
Cover and let stand while you find clean plates and cutlery.
This is the way to do it, darling!

~~~

And this is the way I did it. And boy, it was the goods.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

750 gms minced mutton
3 tbsp oil
1 meduim onion, sliced fine
2 garlic cloves, cut fine
1 tomato
1 and 1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder
1/2 tsp corriander powder
1 and 1/2 cup peas
1tsp ghee/butter
Salt to taste

~~~

Green masala (grind in advance or while qeema cooks):
1 bunch fresh coriander
2 green chillies
1/2″ ginger
1 small onion
1/2 tsp garam masala

 

HOW TO
Refer to note, darlings!

October 9, 2006 tonywrites Leave a response , , , , , , , ,

‘Olympia-Ishtyle’ Qeema With Peas

September, 2006
For a pucca Bombay boy, few breakfasts rival qeema pau (minced mutton and bread) as dished up in restaurants frequented by cabbies, truck drivers, local and visiting thugs, pushers, users and blue-collar comrades; and at my favourite brekkie joint in town, Olympia Coffee House, smack bang next to Colaba Police Station, where cops in mufti outnumber the rest of patrons; probably the safest restaurant in the world.

This is the qeema God probably begins his day with; it’s that divine. A few ounces of minced mutton floating in a spicy-tangy green gravy (Bambaiya linguists, is gravy referred to as ‘turri?’); to a side, a tiny stainless steel plate containing onion slices, twice-quartered lime and fiery green chilles; another s. steel plate bears slices of freshly baked bread.

Start by squeezing lime juice over mince; stir with finger; dab a piece of bread in gravy; scoop mince; transfer to mouth; by the third bite, add a tiny portion of onion and take a small bite of g. chili; chew thoroughly like your mamma taught you to; bingo!; you’re in heaven having a tete-a-tete with The Maker about the whereabouts of Mr. Mojo Risin’; asking whether Elvis is really in the building and, most importantly, where has He stashed Angelina Jolie’s mould?

Goddamit!
I’ve been out of Bombay for close to three months, so you can imagine my need for a qeema fix. I’ve made qeema before but never ever like Olympia makes it. About time, I figured. I must have got it right, for fellow Batcave inmate, Ross, stumbled into the kitchen yet deep in sleep and muttered that he could smell what felt like ‘apunka Bambai ka qeema.’

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
750 gms minced beef (we don’t get mutton here; only lamb; anyway, us Goan buggers be big beef eaters, men)
1 meduim onion, sliced fine
1 garlic clove, cut fine
1 tomato
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder
1 and 1/2 cup peas
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
~~~
Green masala (grind in advance or while qeema cooks):
1 bunch fresh coriander
2 green chillies
1/2″ ginger
1 small onion
1 tsp garam masala

HOW TO
Fry onion till translucent.
Next garlic, ditto garam masala (not for too long; close to a minute).
Then fry the qeema till brown.
Add tomatoes.
Put in enough water to cover the qeema.
Let it cook on simmer for one hour.
Then add the green masala, peas, cumin and chili powder and salt to taste.
Cover and cook for ten minutes on a medium flame.
Add coconut milk, if using.
Now cook till the water almost dries up.
Let it rest for a few minutes.
Then, these words I’ve learned from a servicing bloke, Ramnik, when I was doing time at Trikaya Grey: Toot pado havas ke bhuke kutto jaise*!
Enjoy!

* Fall on it like hungry, lust-seeking dogs. 


September 21, 2006 tonywrites Leave a response , , , , , , , , ,

Sanjay Browne’s Qeema Tikkis

2004
Sanjay Browne hails from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. It’s fair enough to say I’ve never met a Christian bloke from the North of India with such a unique name (Browne, pardon my sorry, ignorant ass). It’s also fair to say Mr. Browne is pretty nifty with the condiments and seasoning and other cooking paraphernalia. There’s been many a time when he’s dropped into Team’s Creative Dept. to drop off a lunchpail oozing at the seams with a tasty non-vegetarian dish and a terse command: Try it.

Benedic Domine, nos et hæc tua dona quæ de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. 
And then I tried it, as did the multitude. And it was good.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
4 large potatoes
2 medium onions (finely chopped)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Dash of coriander powder
1/4 cup fresh coriander (chopped fine)
1 tbsp oil
500 gms mutton qeema
1 tsp cumin powder
1 and 1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste

HOW TO
Boil potatoes.
Cool.
Peel and mash.
Mix onion, fresh coriander and powders: turmeric, chilli coriander.
Mash and mix again.
Keep aside.
~~~
While potatoes are boiling, wash qeema and drain.
Heat oil in pan.
Fry qeema till nicely browned and all its juices have run out and dried.
Add cumin powder and garam masala.
Add a little water just about enough to cover the meat.
Let it cook in simmer for 40 minutes till the qeema is fully cooked and all the water has disappeared.
Put aside and allow to cool.
~~~
Make small lemon-sized tikkis (balls) from the potato mash.
Make a hollow in a tikki and insert a small quantity of qeema in it.
Gently pat the tikki to flatten it.
(Don’t put too much otherwise the tikki might break whilst cooking.)
Continue with the rest of mash and qeema
(I think you should get around 20-25 tikkis).
~~~
Heat enough oil for shallow frying on a medium heat in a clean pan.
Fry 3-4 tikkis at a time.
The flame should be on low.
Give each side 2-3 minutes or till crisp and brown.
When done, transfer to plate lined with kitchen towel/s to absorb excess oil.
Continue frying tikkis in batches.
It’s great as a snack.
Serve with tomato or chilli sauce.
Enjoy!

September 2, 2004 tonywrites Leave a response , , , ,