Kheema Masoor Pulao

I saw this recipe at a Ranveer Brar video, on Facebook. I instantly fell in love with it. I knew right away I had to recreate it. While Ranveer chose to make this with chicken kheema (mince), the hardcore carnivore in me opted for mutton mince. I doubled the quantity so if you are cooking for a family of three or four, I suggest you halve the ingredients. 

As I’d chosen mutton mince, I adjusted the proportion of a few ingredients. I also added an extra twist to this fabulous recipe to enhance it further. Read on to know what I did. 😉

Ingredients:

½ cup sabut masoor (Brown Lentil), wash and soak for 2 hours
2½ cups Basmati rice, wash, and soak for 20 to 30 minutes
500 grams mutton mince
140 grams fried onions
230 grams onions, chopped or sliced
4 green chilies, cut into 1-inch slant pieces
3 heaped tablespoons ginger garlic paste
2 large pinches of saffron (optional but I’d say, go with it)
7 tablespoons/105 grams bland curd (NOT sour), (Important: whisk to a smooth texture)
3 heaped teaspoons Deghi Mirch Powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2½ teaspoons coriander powder
A handful coriander leaves, chopped
A large handful mint leaves, chopped
5 - 6 tablespoons clarified butter (ideally, 6 😉)
2 Bay leaves
4 pieces of 1-inch cinnamon
6 - 8 cloves
12 -16 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste (for kheema marination and rice)

Method:

1. Add fried onions (retain a bit for garnish), raw onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, saffron, curd, Deghi mirch powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and salt to the mutton mince. Marinate well and leave aside for 30 minutes.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed vessel or a large non-stick pan. (I used a huge heavy bottomed non-stick pan) 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. Add the marinated mutton mince and sauté until the clumpy kheema gets to a nice crumbly mince texture. The mince may leave a bit of water at this point: don't worry about it.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Drain the sabut masoor and add to the mutton mince. 
   
   
   
   
   
6. Sauté the mutton mince and sabut masoor for 2 to 3 minutes minutes. 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Drain the rice and add it to the mutton mince-masoor mix. 
   
8. Add 1350 mils of water, salt to taste, and give it one (only one, please) very gentle stir. 
   
   
   
   
   
9. Once the water begins to bubble, turn the flame to low, cover the vessel with a tight lid and continue cooking for 20 to 25 minutes. (Do NOT keep opening the vessel frequently to check) 
10. After 20-25 minutes on low heat, the water will have been absorbed by the pulao. Open the lid, QUICKLY pick up a few random grains of rice and QUICKLY shut the lid again. 
    
    
    
    
    
11. Check the grains of rice for doneness. If the rice still has a light bite to it continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes on LOW heat, then shut off the stove and keep the vessel covered for 10 minutes and allow the cooked rice to ‘rest’. 
12. Open the lid and gently, with a spatula, toss the rice to separate the grains. Go into the rice from the sides of the vessel and toss the rice in the middle. (Video attached to show how.)
    
    
    
    

This is where Ranveer Brar’s recipe ends. The next step is all me and I urge you to put in a wee bit of effort to take this recipe to greater heights. The recipe by Brar is so perfect, it deserves the honour of a ‘Dhungar’. 😊

Dhungar (Smoking):

Ingredients:

Small aluminium or stainless vati (small bowl)
OR
Double a sheet of aluminium foil and make a small makeshift bowl 
A tiny piece of coal
1 teaspoon pure ghee/clarified butter

Method: 

1. Once you open the lid and gently toss the rice, put a small stainless steel vati in the centre or the rice. If the pulao is filled right to the top of the vessel, create a crater in the centre of the rice and then place the vati in that crater.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Heat a tiny piece of coal on the stove and when it gets to a point wherein it begins to glow red.
   
   
   
   
3. Carefully place it in the vati. 
   
   
   
   
4. Quickly, but carefully, pour the pure ghee/clarified butter over the coal. 
   
   
   
   
5. Immediately shut the lid over the pulao vessel. 
6. Leave covered for 10 to 15 minutes. Open the lid after 10-15 minutes and remove the vati/charcoal.
7. Garnish with the pulao with the remaining fried onions. Inhale that fabulous smoky aroma and… Serve! 
   
   
   
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. Do NOT use sour dahi and please ensure you whisk the dahi to a smooth texture before adding it to the mince.
2. I’d doubled the quantity of ingredients for this recipe hence used quite a generous pinch of saffron. If you chose to use a tiny pinch, or no saffron at all, the colour of your rice will not have that light ‘saffron-yellow’ hue. Saffron is optional but I’d say, go with it. After all it’s a pulao. 😉 
3. For clarification with regard to the water added to the rice, the ratio is 1:2 therefore add 5 cups water (1250 mils) for 2.5 cups rice, and approximately 125/150 mils (10% extra) for the masoor. 
4. When you add salt to the rice, please err on the side of caution as salt was also added to the kheema/mince. 
5. Once you shut the lid, for the rice to cook, remember to turn the flame to LOW and let the water and the heat do its thang (thing 😊). Hold yourself back from wanting to open the lid time and time again and refrain from stirring the rice. If you follow this point as directed, rest assured, the grains of rice will not be a broken mess. 
6. The 10 minute ‘resting time’, after the rice is cooked, is extremely essential. It gives the rice time to hold its shape, ensuring the grains don’t disintegrate when you toss them later, to separate the grains. It ensures you plate a gorgeous pulao. 
7. Tip: Follow this ‘rest the rice’ rule whenever you cook rice. Pssssttt 😉 In case you have a wee bit of rice stuck to the bottom of the vessel, the ‘resting’ time (read: steam) will loosen up the stuck rice. Yeh meri guarantee hai! This, of course, does not apply when you burn the rice, warna bologe, “you had said it would loosen the rice”. 😝 
8. While this pulao does not have huge pieces of meat or chicken adorning it and looks quite unassuming when you plate it, don’t go by its looks. Trust me, it is robust in flavour. Aur Dhunagar ke baad toh kya kehne! 
9. While I know Ranveer Brar is too busy a person to reply, I would like to say… “Thank you ever so much for this fabulous recipe, Ranveer, and I hope, if you ever recreate it, you try giving it a Dhungar. It’ll take your fabulous recipe to new heights. From one food lover to another, I promise!” 
10. As mentioned at the onset, the original recipe belongs Ranveer Brar. This version of the recipe and the photographs, though, belong to my blog, Kenzy’s Kitchen Korner. 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:

Multi-Purpose Mutton Soup (Broth / Stock)

Winter is coming (hehehe – not everyone will get this, but that’s okay 😉) and what better than a piping hot, robust soup/broth to sip on. I saw a mug of soup on my friend Khuzaan’s Insta stories and the soup looked so yum that I could not help but reach out to ask for the recipe.

The recipe belonged to his gym trainer, Murtaza’s mum, Mrs. Irfana Nasir. She ever so kindly sent the recipe within minutes (via Khuzaan). I gave this a try the very next day. This is one of the easiest broth/stock recipes you will ever come across and yet, the broth turns out so darn flavourful. I’ve now made so many times that I’ve kind of lost count. Yes, this is that good a recipe. It is such a simple recipe that even a newbie in the kitchen can whip this up within minutes.

I will always follow a recipe to the T the first time around and subsequently put my own tiny twist on it when I remake it. I’ve adjusted the ingredients a teeny-tiny bit and the recipe I’m publishing is the one I’ve customized, but this recipe belongs to Mrs. Irfana Nasir. I lay no claim to it at all.

Mrs. Irfana Nasir, Murtaza, Khuzaan: Heartfelt thanks for sharing this recipe with me.

Ingredients:

Half kilo mutton (on bone)
10-12 black peppercorns
1-inch cinnamon
2 heaped teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
1 large onion, chopped into big pieces (easier to fish out later)
2 tomatoes, quartered (easier to fish out later)
1 green chili, keep whole, do not chop
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1 litre water 

Method:

1. Add all the above ingredients in a pressure cooker.
   
   
   
   
   
2. When the pressure builds up and the cooker releases the first whistle, lower the flame. 
3. Continue cooking for 8 more whistles on LOW heat. This low heat cooking will lend robustness to the soup. (Take Mrs. Nasir’s and my word for it) 
4. When done, take the cooker off the stove and allow the pressure to release on its own. 
   
   
   
   
   
5. Once cool, fish out the mutton pieces.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Strain the soup in a colander or a stainless steel sieve if you want a clearer soup. I used a colander as I did not have Gordon Ramsey judging me. 😉
   
   
   
   
   
7. Mash the vegetables to extract all the goodness and discard the mashed veggies.
   
   
   
   
   
8. This yields approximately 1250 mils of broth. Use as desired. (We usually add a squeeze of lime, an extra dash of pepper powder and sip on it. At times, I portion it into 500 ml containers and freeze it for the dishes that require stock) 
   
   
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. You may chop the onions and tomatoes small but fishing out the mutton from the soup gets a tad messy hence I prefer to cut them into large chunks. The first time I recreated this recipe, I cut the veggies small, as mentioned by Mrs. Nasir. At all other times, I’ve cut them into large chunks.
2. Use the mutton for sandwiches. You may also shred the mutton and add it to the strained soup. 
3. Yes, Google has lots of explanations with regard to the terms soup, stock, and broth. Let’s not debate or argue over that. Let’s keep it simple; let’s cook up this deliciousness and enjoy it, yeah?? 😊 
4. Mutton on-bone is what you use for this soup. If you’re opting for boneless mutton, the soup will be yum but, it will lack that beautiful robustness, and that’s what this soup/broth is all about. 
5. The original recipe uses only 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste and no green chili. I like my soup with a bit of zing hence adjusted these ingredients. Feel free to go with whatever suits your palate. 
6. As mentioned at the onset, the original recipe belongs Mrs. Irfana Nasir. The photographs, though, belong to my blog, Kenzy’s Kitchen Korner. 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:

Kabappe – Kababs In An Appe Pan

Ever since I got over my fear of using the appe pan, I had been wanting to use it again and again and again. When I cooked Dhanshak a couple of days back, I made kababs (kebab – we Parsi’s call them kabab) but I did not want to deep dry them. As most of you know, I use adequate oil (actually, more than adequate) in my food and yet, I refrain from deep frying food at home. What better chance than this, to use the appe pan.

What inspired this recipe…

I took inspiration from the tiny Muslim cafes and carts that dot all of Mumbai. Those chefs nailed the flavour so brilliantly. That was precisely what I was itching to recreate. The flavour of those kababs is so firmly etched in my memory and on my palate. They allow the flavour of the mutton kheema to shine and they enhance it with a few precise ingredients. That is exactly what I did and voila! Kababs perfectly recreated at home and… sone pe suhaga… sans any extra oil as these puppies aren’t deep fried. 

If you are wondering whether the kheema was cooked to correct doneness in the appe pan or whether the kababs tasted as delish as they would have, had they been deep fried, don’t take my word for it; read the recipe carefully and give it a try. You can thank me, later. *very evil grin*

Ingredients - Part 1:

500 grams mutton / beef / buff mince
2 onions, cut in small dices
3-4 green chilies, chopped fine
2 heaped tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil

Ingredients - Part 2:

Cooked Kheema
2 medium or 3 small potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed smooth (I used a ricer)
2 green chilies, chopped fine
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder (I used MDH Deghi Mirch Powder)
½ teaspoon pepper powder
Salt, only if needed – to adjust seasoning
A large handful coriander leaves, finely chopped
A large handful mint leaves, finely chopped
¾ cup fine breadcrumbs
3 eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper, well-beaten
Oil as needed, for the appe pan

Method – Part 1: 

1. Rinse the mince (of course) in a sieve or a colander. Keep aside for the excess water to drain.
   
   
   
   
   
2. In a non-stick pan (or wok), heat 3 tablespoons oil, add the cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Add onions and green chilies and sauté.
   
   
   
   
   
4. When the onions are just about to turn translucent, add the drained kheema and continue sautéing, on high flame, for a minute.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue sautéing the kheema until it loses the clumped-up look and begins to turn crumbly and grainy.
   
   
   
   
6. Add salt to taste, reduce the flame, and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring intermittently. Do NOT add any water to the kheema.
7. The kheema after 3 to 4 minutes will be cooked to 80 percent doneness. At that point, turn off the stove and empty the kheema into a large platter/thali.

 Method – Part 2: 

1. Add the mashed potatoes, 2 chopped green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, pepper powder, coriander leaves, and mint leaves to the cooked kheema.
2. Mix the ingredients into the kheema with your hands. Kind of as you would when kneading dough. It should all come together smoothly and nicely.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Check seasoning; add/adjust, if needed.
4. Keep the mince aside, covered, for about 30 minutes.

 Method: Cooking Kabappe: 

1. Take breadcrumbs in a large plate.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Grease your hands with a little oil (to ensure the mince does not stick to your hands) and make kababs the size of ping-pong balls from the marinated mince and put them in the plate that has breadcrumbs. Continue making the kababs until all the mince is used up. (I usually use a small ice cream scoop to get equal sized kababs.)
   
   
   
   
   
3. Once all kababs are made, roll them lightly, but properly, in the breadcrumbs. The kababs must be well coated, all over.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Heat the appe pan. Add half a teaspoon oil into each indentation. When the oil heats up, turn the flame to its LOWEST SETTING.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Dip each kabab into the beaten eggs and put one kabab into each indentation.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Add a quarter teaspoon of beaten egg over each kabab. You may, of course, dribble the extra egg with your fingers. I did. (The oil, at this point, though merely half a teaspoon, will foam, as it does in a regular frying pan - don't give it a second thought)
   
   
   
   
7. Cover the pan immediately and cook the kabappe on LOW heat for 2 minutes or until they turn golden. (yes you will have to uncover the pan to check... sigh!)
8. Flip the appe with a teaspoon or a fork.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Cover and cook the other side, on LOW heat, for 2 minutes or until they turn golden.
10. Once both sides are golden, remove the Kabappes into a plate.
11. Continue making Kabappes until all the mince is used up. This quantity makes 32 kababs.
    
    
    
    
    

 Chef Notes: 

1. Please note, dice is different from finely chopped and for these kababs we need the onions cut into small dices. 
2. Very little masala goes into making these kababs. As I mentioned earlier, the idea is to allow the mince to shine. The added chilies, green herbs and the little bit of spice all add up to ensure that happens. 
3. I would advise the use of fine mince (not paste-y though).
4. You may increase the green chilies if you prefer spicy kababs. Me, I wouldn’t. I want to taste the mince, not the chilies.
5. Do mash the potatoes well. The blend, when mixed, should be such that one is unable to decipher mince from the potatoes. 
6. The kheema mixture will seem dry when cooked but if you taste it when it is cooked to 80% doneness, your palate will experience moist kheema. That’s the diced onion doing its job; lending moistness to the kabab.
7. Every time you add new kababs to the appe pan, do remember to add half a teaspoon oil into each indentation.
8. This quantity made 32 kababs. Don’t consider 32 to be too many. These babies get polished off in a jiffy.
9. IMPORTANT: I cannot stress enough the importance of cooking this dish on LOW heat from Point 5 to Point 11.
10. Heartfelt thanks to Zaraius Contractor for the cover photo advise and edit. 
11. 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: