Spice Adventures

Ingredients For Marinating: 1/2 cup thick yogurt (strained) 1 kg beef (bone and fat removed)  1/2 cup fried onions (beresta)  1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon ginger paste 1 teaspoon garlic paste  1 teaspoon red chili powder 🌶 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and mace powder 1 teaspoon lemon juice  1 tablespoon papaya paste (with skin) Salt to taste  For Cooking: 1/2 cup soybean oil 2 bay leaves 2 pieces of cinnamon stick 7-8 black peppercorns 3 cardamom pods 3 dried red chilies 1/2 cup onion (thickly sliced) 4 green chilies Instructions Marinating the Meat: Wash and cut the beef into pieces of desired size. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Mix all the marinade ingredients (yogurt, fried onions, roasted cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, nutmeg and mace powder, lemon juice, papaya paste, and salt) thoroughly with the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 6-12 hours to marinate. Cooking: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and dried red chilies to the hot oil. Reduce the heat and add the marinated meat to the pan, stirring well. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add sliced onions and whole green chilies to the pan. Continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are cooked and the kebabs are well-browned.

Ingredients: For the Spice Mix: 15-20 green cardamom pods 1 large black cardamom pod 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 10-12 cloves 1 teaspoon panch phoran (five spice mix) 1 small nutmeg (or half if large) 1 teaspoon mace (javitri) 4-5 small cinnamon sticks 2 bay leaves For the Mustard Paste: 2 tablespoons white mustard seeds 2 tablespoons black mustard seeds Salt to taste 2-3 green chilies For Cooking: 350 grams mustard oil 1 cup onion paste 2 tablespoons garlic paste 2 tablespoons ginger paste 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder A pinch of salt 1 teaspoon red chili powder Spiced powder (prepared earlier) Method: Prepare the Spice Mix: Dry roast the green cardamom pods, black cardamom pod, black peppercorns, cloves, panch phoran, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves in a pan until fragrant. Grind the roasted spices into a fine powder using a blender or spice grinder. Set aside. Prepare the Mustard Paste: Soak the white and black mustard seeds in water for 20-25 minutes. After soaking, drain and grind the mustard seeds with a little salt and 2-3 green chilies into a smooth paste. Cook the Paste: Heat 350 grams of mustard oil in a pan. Once the oil is slightly hot, add the onion paste and sauté until it becomes golden brown. Add the garlic paste, ginger paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder, and the previously prepared spice mix. Stir well and cook for a few minutes. Add a little more than 1/2 cup of water to the mixture and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil starts to separate and the spices have cooked well. This should take around 20-25 minutes. Once the color of the spice mixture darkens and becomes a deep shade, add the prepared mustard paste and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes until the oil separates from the masala. Storage: Allow the spice paste to cool completely. Store it in a clean, dry glass jar. Ensure the paste is submerged in oil to prevent spoilage. The paste can be refrigerated for up to 2 months or stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. For extended storage, you can simmer the paste again after a week, cool it, and then store it in a jar.

Instructions:

Mustard Oil Cooked Raw Turmeric (Kancha Holud Bhuna) Ingredients: Raw turmeric (blended) – 1/2 cup Finely chopped onions – 1 tablespoon Finely chopped garlic – 2 tablespoons Bay leaf – 1 Cinnamon stick – 1 piece Cardamom – 1 Green chili (according to taste) – finely chopped Mustard oil – as required Salt – to taste Method: Cut the raw turmeric into small pieces and soak them in water for 10-15 minutes. This will reduce the intense aroma and bitterness of raw turmeric. Then wash and blend it with a little water to make a paste. Heat mustard oil in a pan and add cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaf. Once the spices release aroma, add chopped onions and garlic. Fry until the onions and garlic turn golden. Once the onion and garlic are lightly golden, add the blended raw turmeric paste. Cook well by stirring until the masala releases oil. If the masala becomes too dry, add a little water, salt, and chopped green chilies according to taste. Cook for some time, stirring occasionally, until the dish is well-cooked and slightly roasted. Enjoy this dish with its unique flavors and textures!   Adaful Bharta (Mashed Adafu) Ingredients: Adaful (a type of green leafy vegetable) Fish of choice (rohu, prawn) Finely chopped onions Finely chopped green chilies Mustard oil Salt Method: Marinate the fish with a little turmeric, chili, and salt and fry it on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until it turns golden brown. Once fried, remove the bones from the fish and flake it. Wash the adaful leaves thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and then roughly chop them, including the stems. Mash the adaful along with chopped onions and green chilies, adding salt to taste. Mix well with the fish and mustard oil using hands. Serve hot with steamed rice. Mango pickle (Morobba and pickle)   Holudful Bharta (Mashed Holudful) Ingredients: Holudful (a type of green leafy vegetable) Finely chopped onions Finely chopped green chilies Mustard oil Salt Method: Wash the papery covering of the holudful leaves and rinse them well. Peel off the papery covering from the holudful leaves and wash thoroughly. Crush the holudful leaves along with chopped onions and green chilies, adding salt to taste. Mix well with mustard oil using hands. Serve hot with steamed rice.