Kalia (Lamb Stew)

It is a dish in which lamb pieces are cooked with spices to form stew (kashmiri Lamb Stew).

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mutton ( Lamb) cut in small pieces
• 2 tbsp whisked yogurt
• Pinch of asafetida dissolved in 1 tbsp of water
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 3-4 cloves
• 1” cinnamon
• 1 tsp dry ginger powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp aniseed powder
• ½ turmeric powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp ghee/oil

Method:

• Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon and saute till fragrant.
• Add mutton pieces, red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafetida water and salt and 3 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and pressure-cook till 3-4 whistles or till the mutton is tender.
• Open the lid of pressure cooker when it is cooled. Add dry ginger powder, aniseed powder, kashmiri garam masala and allow to simmer on low heat for two to three minutes.
• Add whisked yogurt, bring to a boil, adjust seasoning and serve hot.

Note: Kashmiri red chili powder can be substituted with any red chili powder.

Do You Know?

Chili is nature's wonder. Its fruit appears in different sizes, shapes and colour. The fruit size of some varieties is more than hundred times that of others. The shape may be elongated or round and distal pointed, blunt or sucked in. Corrugated, leathery or smooth maybe the touch on outer skin. It may look like a bird's eye or a small orange fruit. Colour varies from blue, green, orange, red, yellow, violet, cream white to near black.

Kashmiri or "Degchi Mirchi" : These chilies are smaller and rounder and less pungent but give a very vibrant red color to a dish.