Awadhi Mutton Korma
Awadhi Mutton Korma
Most cuisines have a great deal of interesting history behind them.
Awadhi cuisine is no exception, and this is what makes this cuisine even
more captivating. Not just its taste, but also its history is
enthralling.
Awadhi cuisines are popular and taste great. Those who try it will surely want to try it again and again. This is because of the unique tastes that are produced in the dishes prepared using Awadhi styles of preparation.
The Awadhi style of cooking includes cooking food slowly and steadily so that all ingredients are well soaked and cooked into each other.
The more common step in preparing meals in Awadhi cuisine is the ‘dum’ cooking. This involves a slow and steady cooking process that allows food to really cook well. However, it isn’t simply the ‘dum’ cooking methods that gives Awadhi food its particular taste. There is also the use of spices in the right proportion that creates a unique blend. As opposed to conventional thought, Awadhi food does not make use of a hundred-odd spices to produce each dish. The truth lies in the manner in which the food is cooked on a slow fire. This process allows the juices to be absorbed well into the solid parts. All nutrients are retained in the food through this process.
The Awadhi cuisine marks the beginning of the modern era of Indian cooking. So far we have believed that the modern cooking techniques were just recently been introduced but it is found that these techniques already existed over the years.
As we dig deep into the Awadhi cuisine we discover the Characteristic taste and flavors of this region, this will make you recreate the authentic flavors of the Awadhi cuisine at your kitchen to be relished by your loved ones. It is often mistaken that Mughlai cuisine is Awadhi but it is not, Awadhi cuisine may have a slight influence from Mughal but both the cuisine varies.
Lucknow, the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh is the land of origin for Awadhi Cuisine. In the early stages, the British termed Awadh as “oudh” which was derived from “Ayodhya”, a region in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was ruled by many rulers but the history was made during the reign of “Nawab of Awadh“. One among the known rulers who began to change the Lucknow into a city of culture and enhance its cuisine was “Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daulah”.During his time is when they had gastronome of cuisine and many cooks began to arrive. During those days the cooks were called as “Bawarchis” who were brilliant at what they do. There was even a time where cooks used to compete with each other to show their culinary skills by providing with a wide variety of food to please their Masters.
When the British rule started to dominate and take over the kingdom of Nawab, the Awadh stood strong and their legacy continued. They carefully perished their arts, buildings and most importantly the cuisine continues to live on until today.
Dastarkhwan is where people sit around and enjoy the food prepared by the bawarchis, this is the place dining spread is laid ceremonially and it is a customary to share food in Awadhi. It is said that the richness of Awadh cuisine not only lies on the variety but the type of ingredient used to make the dish.
Some of their authentic cooking techniques include:
Ghee Durust Karna : This is a process of tempering ghee with kewra water and cardamom pods so that aromatic ghee is used for various purposes.
Dhungar : A quick smoking techniques used to flavor meat dishes, dals, and rice. A live coal is placed in the center of a betel leaf or shallow onion peel and placed along with the other ingredients to smoke it.
Dum dena : A slow cooking process commonly called as “Dum cooking” wherein a semi-cooked ingredient is placed in a vessel and sealed with a lid covered with a flour dough. Charcoal is used for cooking.
Gile Hikmat : A Persian influenced method where the whole meat is stuffed with nuts and spices and it is wrapped using a banana leaf, covered with a clay and buried deep about 4-6 inches deep, a slow fire is then placed on top for cooking. It is cooked for about 8 to 6 hours.
Loab : This is the final stage of cooking, wherein the oil used while cooking the dish rises on top and gets separated.
Ittr : Using perfume in many dishes is the key factor in Awadhi cuisine, mainly they use perfume taken from the musk deer.
This was a brief insight of Awadhi cuisine. Today, I prepared a Mutton Korma which was cooked on Dum slowly and was awesome in taste. Eating is believing! For that, you have to try yourself and then you would believe!
I got this yumilicious recipe from sikandalouscuisine.blogspot.com Link Below..
Ingredients:-
1.5 kgs, Goat Meat (mutton on bone) cut in pieces.
4 Large onions, finely Sliced
400 Grams,Yogurt-whisked well
1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 Tablespoon, Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
A Few Drops of Kewda Essence ( I avoided )
A Pinch of Saffron- Soaked in 3 tablespoon of warm milk
4 Tablespoon of Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Mace Powder
5 tablespoon Oil
5 tablespoon, ghee
Dry Roast together:
1&1/2 " Cinnamon Stick
6-7 Green Cardamom
6-7 Cloves
8 Black Peppercorn
1 Teaspoon Poppy Seeds
10-12 Cashew Nuts
2 Black Cardamom
Method:-
In a heavy bottom pan or handi, heat ghee and oil. Add finely sliced onion and fry until golden brown and crisp.Do not over brown them as it might give the bitter to korma.
In a blender, add all the dry roasted ingredients and brown onions, blend it to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.
In the same handi with remaining ghee-oil mixture, add mutton pieces and fry until they are fried to nice golden brow
Once done, take the mutton pieces out and reserve.
Now, add ginger garlic paste in the same handi and fry well for 2-3 minutes.Add ground masala-onion paste, coriander powder and red chili powder, mix well.Add whisked yogurt and stir until well blended. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until oil starts oozing out.Add fried mutton pieces, salt and little water. Cover and cook until mutton is just tender.
Add saffron milk, kewda essence and mix.Adjust the consistency of korma if you need to increase the gravy and check for salt.Lastly, sprinkle Mace and nutmeg powder, and give a gentle mix. Fragrant delicious Lucknow Gosht Korma is ready to be served, Garnish with some coriander leaves (optional) and serve hot with Nan/sheermal/paratha or Pulao of your choice.
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