Kharu Bheju (Brains in Onions Masala)

Kharu Bheju (Brains in Onion Masala)

A Parsee delicacy made from goat brain. There are always jovial-disagreements in most Parsee families when our mom or grandma/s brings these babies home from the market. A few people in the family prefer cutlets while the other few want them cooked in the style mentioned below. To ensure that no dispute ensues at home I usually bring 12-14 brains at a time so that I can cook half of them as cutlets and the rest of them in this delicious masala. It's not easy cleaning so many brains all at one time but the smiles i get from each family member is so worth the trouble.

Ingredients:

7 brains, cleaned and kept whole

8 large onions, chopped fine

7 tomatoes, grated

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground garlic

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red Kashmiri chili powder

¼ teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon coriander-cumin powder powder

Salt, to taste

7-9 tablespoons oil

A big handful of coriander leaves, chopped fine

Method:

1. Fry the onions in oil till light brown (still a wee bit translucent) in a large flat non-stick pan.
2. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till you smell a nice aroma.
3. Add the turmeric powder, red Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala powder, coriander-cumin powder, salt and fry till oil separates (do not let the masala burn).
4. Add the grated tomatoes and fry till the raw smell evaporates and oil separates.
5. Add the coriander leaves (leaving a wee bit for garnishing) and give it a stir.
6. Carefully lay out the brains one at a time in the vessel. Give a careful but good shake to the pan so as to cover the brains with the masala. (I prefer not to use a spoon here)
7. Cover and cook for 5 minutes till brains are cooked.
8. Garnish with the rest of the chopped coriander and serve with rotis, naan or parathas.
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. Brain is not everyone’s plate of food (read: cuppa tea) but those who relish it will love this recipe.
2. Instead of gently shaking the vessel, if you do plan to use a spoon to mix the masala with the brains, please do so very carefully and gently so as not to bruise or mush up the brains.
3. This can also be made with the brain from a larger animal (eg: cow or buffalo) but the taste will be slightly sharper and because the brain is larger in size, do not leave it whole. Cut it into 4 to 6 pieces.
4. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.