Street-side classic to tickle palate

Pushpesh Pant

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THE trouble with preparing mutton curry at home is that the options are mindboggling. Should you try an aromatic, braised qorma sans haldi draped in creamy sauce, or no-frills home-style thin gravy? How about Kashmiri, or more likely Punjabi, rogan josh? There are days when the achari gosht tempts. The lure of slightly sweet ishtoo is no less compelling. Readymade packed masala on the shelf cries out to you, reminding that Kolhapuri mutton must be made before its expiry date. And, so on. We have long felt that the best way out is to combine the best of many worlds — selectively, not indiscriminately — improvising and innovating to tickle the jaded palate. What we share with our dear readers is a recipe that blends elements from ‘some of our favourite things’.

Strictly speaking, aloo-gosht belongs to the salan family. Salan combines meat with vegetables. There is a gobhi ka salan and tori/noni ka salan. Shalgam and baigan are also used. The prince among cooks (or the other way round!), Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana preferred to use the term do piyaza for the salan. Who are we to quarrel with royal whims but there are not one but many do piyaza recipes — one confused with the famous dum pukht — so it is, perhaps, best to stick to salan.

The best part about any salan is that it lightens the dish. As summer approaches, these seem more appropriate for the season. Then, the addition of vegetables ‘stretches’ the non-vegetarian component deliciously, elegantly. Aloo gosht is encountered in many eateries in Delhi and is something like a street-side classic. We have always wondered why it’s not cooked more often at home! The late Sadia Dehlvi, a great foodie and loving custodian of the city’s culinary heritage, did include it in her fascinating cookbook. But that is another recipe mixing memories with desire.

ALOO GOSHT SALAN

Ingredients

Mutton (preferably shoulder) 500g

Potatoes (medium) three

Onion (medium, sliced finely) one

Tomato (medium) one

Garlic-ginger paste 1-1/2 tsp

Bay leaf one

Cinnamon stick 1/2-inch piece

Black peppercorn 8-10

Cloves two

Green cardamom two

Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp

Yellow chilli powder 1 tsp

Oil/ghee 1/3 cup

Salt to taste

Method

• Trim and wash the meat. Pat dry. Peel the potatoes, wash and cut in half. Blanch the tomato by putting in boiling water for a minute. Peel, mash and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan. When it reaches smoking point, add bay leaf and other whole spices.
• As soon as these change colour, add onion. Stir fry on medium high flame till these turn translucent and slightly pink. Put in the mashed tomato, along with the powdered spices and ginger-garlic paste.
• Continue stir-frying for another minute-and-a-half. Put in the meat at this stage. Stir fry for about 15 minutes. Add salt and potatoes and half a cup of boiling water.
• Cook covered with a tight lid for five to seven minutes on medium flame. Turn off the gas. Allow it to cool.
• Uncover, check seasoning and serve with fluffy, steamed rice or hot phulka.