I cooked Kheema three ways. The first recipe was Kheema Fry. I then took the Kheema Fry recipe a tad further to make Khatto Mittho Tikho Sali Kheemo; a typical Parsi recipe.
This is the third recipe that emerged from the previous
two that I posted. You can cook these patties with leftover Kheema Fry or
Khatto Mittho Tikho Kheemo. We Parsi’s prefer these babies (read: patties)
with Khatto Mittho Tikho Kheemo.
Opt for either of the two varieties of kheema but the important
thing to keep in mind is… the kheema needs to be the well-sautéed, well-fried
kind. Moist kheema will result in shattered patties, when fried.
The process photographs, at my blog, for all three recipes
(base recipe), will be similar. There will be many extra process photographs
and videos, though, for this recipe.
Instead of using leftover kheema, if you are cooking this
recipe from scratch, to simplify the process, I have edited the quantity of
ingredients and adjusted the proportions, wherein this recipe will give you a
dozen (12) medium sized patties.
Ingredients for Kheema:
250 grams lamb kheema (goat or beef mince will also work)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped fine
¼ inch ginger, chopped fine
1 green chili, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ inch cinnamon
3 black peppercorns
1 clove
¾ tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1 – 1½ heaped teaspoon red chili powder (I use MDH Deghi
Mirch powder)
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon coriander-cumin powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
½ teaspoon Parsi sambhar masala (optional)
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste (optional)
½ tablespoon cane vinegar, or to taste (optional)
2 large tomatoes, halve, grate the pulpy side, discard skin
½ + ¼ handful coriander leaves, chopped
3 - 4 mint leaves, chopped
2 - 3 tablespoons oil, or as desired
Method for Kheema:
1.
Wash the kheema in a colander or a sieve. Leave
aside.
2.
Heat oil in a wok/kadhai. Add cumin seeds,
cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves and allow to splutter.
3.
Add green chilies, chopped ginger, chopped
garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
4.
Add onions and continue frying until the onions
turn golden brown.
5.
Add ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder,
turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder, pepper powder,
Parsi sambhar masala, half a teaspoon salt and sauté for a few seconds to roast
the masala well (do not allow the spices to burn).
6.
Add the grated tomatoes and mix them well with
the spice mixture.
7.
Allow the tomatoes to cook until it is rid of
the raw tomato smell and oil separates.
8.
Add the first ½ handful of chopped coriander
leaves and the mint leaves. Sauté for few seconds.
9.
Add the washed kheema and mix well into the
spicy tomato mix.
10.
Keep sautéing the kheema until all of it is
nicely blended with the masala and the raw kheema loses it lumpy texture.
11.
Add half a cup of water, lower the flame, cover
the wok-kadhai and continue cooking.
12.
Check to see if the kheema is cooked, and if
done, continue cooking (uncovered) to dry up the left-over water content in the
kheema.
13.
Check seasoning (salt).
14.
Add sugar and cane vinegar (if using). Give it a good stir
and allow to cook for a minute. Check the balance of flavours and adjust sugar
and vinegar, as suits your palate.
15.
Continue cooking the kheema for a minute more.
16.
Add in the second handful of chopped coriander
leaves and stir fry the kheema until there is absolutely no water content in
it. A fried, no-moisture kheema is the texture you are aiming for.
17.
Once the texture is attained, remove kheema
into a bowl, cool and put it in the fridge for an hour (or two). By the way,
this quantity will give you around 300-310 grams of cooked kheema.
Ingredients for Mash Potatoes:
12 medium sized potatoes
Salt, to season the mash potatoes
Black pepper powder, to season the mash potatoes
Method for Mash Potatoes:
1.
Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker for 2
whistles (or 3 whistles, max).
2.
Allow the steam to release by itself, open the
cooker, remove the potatoes.
3.
Peel the potatoes and immediately use a ricer
or a potato masher to mash each potato while it is piping hot. Continue the
peeling, mashing process until all the potatoes are mashed to a smooth texture.
Please ensure there are no lumps.
4.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5.
COVER with a cloth and leave
aside until needed.
Ingredients to ‘build’ the Patties:
Mash potatoes, divide into 24 portions (will make 12
patties)
Cooked Kheema, divide into 12 portions (approximately 25
grams each)
3 - 4 tablespoons oil, to grease your hands when preparing
the patties
1 cup fine semolina (barik rawa/suji)
3 eggs, SEASONED and beaten to a light froth
Oil, to fry the patties
Method:
1.
Lightly dust a LARGE thali (or plate) with 1 to 1½
tablespoons semolina.
2.
In another smaller plate add the rest of the semolina.
3.
Oil/grease your palms with a bit of oil.
4.
Take one portion of the potato mash, roll into a
smooth ball, flatten it in the palm of your hand and then shape it into a
shallow scoop.
5.
Add one portion of the cooked kheema into the shallow
scoop.
6.
With the other hand take another portion of potato,
gently flatten it in the platter itself. Pick it up and carefully place it over
the kheema-potato in your hand and gently pinch the edges of the potatoes so as
to ENCASE the kheema within.
7.
Once the sides are sealed, gently smoothen out any
cracks (if any) that have formed on the patties. (IMPORTANT: Smoothen
out the cracks carefully and really well as that will ensure the patties do not
break when you fry them – not a very good video but VIDEO ATTACHED,
nevertheless)
8.
Carefully place the pattie in the plate of semolina.
9.
Sprinkle the semolina all over the pattie. Ensure the
pattie is lightly but well covered with semolina.
10.
Place the prepped semolina-coated pattie onto the
large thali/plate that has a light dusting of semolina. (Note: We have lightly
dusted this thali with semolina to ensure the prepped patties do not stick to
the thali)
11.
Follow point number 3 to 9 and repeat the pattie
making process for the remaining 11 patties.
12.
Heat a good quantity of oil in a non-stick pan. (good
quantity and yet not as much as you would use to deep fry – these patties are NOT
deep fried).
13.
Take a prepped pattie, dip it in the beaten egg (egg
wash).
14.
Place it in the hot oil to fry. Repeat with as many
patties as you can comfortably fit into the frying pan.
15.
Fry the patties on one side until golden.
16.
Flip the patties and fry the other side to a golden,
as well.
17.
Remove the patties when done and drain on paper
towels.
18.
Repeat the ‘egg-wash and fry’ process until all the
patties are done.
Chef Notes:
1.
All caps are for emphasis. I do not pen to
offend.
2.
Please fish out as much of the whole garam
masala as you can before you begin making the patties.
3.
In case you don’t have Parsi sambhar masala in
your pantry, you may increase the chili powder a wee bit. Parsi Sambhar masala
is available online (Mangal Masalas) and this masala and many others are also
couriered, pan India, by Katy Messman. The homemade ones by Katy are, of
course, way better. I have them couriered to Pune all the way from Surat. Been
doing so for years.
4.
Ideally, I make this kheema a day ahead and
store it in the fridge. I remove the kheema from the fridge an hour before
making the patties. You can also store this kheema in the fridge for 3 to 4
days. As it has no moisture in it, it keeps very nicely. I made these patties
from a day old, cooked kheema that I had stored overnight, in the fridge.
5.
If you do not wish to grate the tomatoes,
chopping them will work too. The same technique applies, though, cook until the
tomatoes are mushy and don’t give off the raw smell and until oil separates. I
would NOT RECOMMEND pureeing them in a mixer.
6. The final
consistency/texture of the kheema is a glistening, moisture-free version.
7. The sugar
and cane vinegar are optional. We Parsi’s prefer the kheema sweet, sour, and
spicy. If you aren’t fond of the sweet and sour flavours, give these two
ingredients a miss.
8. Cane
vinegar can be substituted with white or brown vinegar.
9. When (and
if) you add the sugar and vinegar, I suggest you add a little at a time. Add,
cook for a few seconds to allow the flavours to meld, taste, adjust.
10. Ideally you
will require 12 medium sized potatoes, but I would advise you boil 13, just in
case a boiled potato turns out to be rotten from within. If they all turn out
fine, sprinkle salt, pepper, and a pat of butter on the extra potato and chomp
on it. Tastes lovely! 😉
11. Mash each
potato as soon as you peel it, while it is HOT. Potatoes mash way
quicker and smoother when hot.
12. There
is yet another way to encase the kheema, but this is a simpler version. Using a
large portion of potatoes and encasing the kheema by molding the potato mash
around it is difficult for newbies who’ve never made patties. It was for this
reason that I opted for this method.
13. Once
you divide the mash potato into equal portions (use an ice cream scooper -you will get equal sized patties - secret's out! 😉) please work quickly to make the
patties or keep the scoops of potatoes covered to ensure they do not go dry.
Moulding them will get a tad difficult if the potato portions dry out.
14. You may
share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes,
and/or my photographs, on any blogsite or website without my explicit consent
or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable
for plagiarism.
Some more photographs:
 |
| Dry Sauteed - Fried Kheema, straight off the stove and into this container |
 |
| Use that scooper for even sized patties |
 |
| Oil to grease your hands |
 |
| A day old kheema, from the fridge. Taken out an hour before assembling the patties |
