Ramadan is almost over, and we all know what that means. It is the countdown to the joyous celebration of Eid-Ul-Fitr. The festival is celebrated by preparing feisty dishes, including beef, chicken and mutton. The day starts with the morning Eid prayer, followed by gulping down delicious dishes until you can't move a muscle. For this Eid, why not up the ante with these special dishes, designed to make anyone drool the moment they get a whiff of it.

 

Malai Gosht

A touch of cream and blend of spices constitute this hearty dish. Malai gosht is also known for its unique taste. If you haven't tried it yet, you are missing out. Serve this delicious main dish with rice, roti or paratha.

 

Ingredients

1kg mutton

½ cup yoghurt

1 cup cream

2 tsp papaya paste

1 tsp salt

1 cup ghee

4 onion, sliced

1 tsp cumin seed

1 tbsp ginger paste

½ tsp garlic paste

2 tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp black peppercorns

2 pieces coal

 

Method

Marinate meat with yoghurt, cream, papaya and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Now in a pan, heat ½ cup of ghee, add the marinated mutton, cover it and let it tenderise. In a separate pan, heat the remaining ghee. Add the sliced onion and fry till light brown. Now add ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and black peppercorns. Fry for few minutes. Now add tender meat, let it simmer for 10 minutes. In the end give smoke of coal and serve.

 

Chicken Karahi

Chicken Karahi is a dish from the Pakistani and Indian subcontinent, and noted for its spicy taste. The Pakistani version does not have capsicum whereas the North Indian version uses capsicum and green chilli. The dish is prepared in a Karahi (wok). It can take between 40 and 50 minutes to prepare and cook the dish and can be stored for later consumption. This dish is one of the hallmarks of Indian and Pakistani cuisine. It can be served with rice, naan or roti.

 

Ingredients

1 kg chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

4 garlic clove, peeled and minced

4 tomatoes, diced roughly

4 green chillies, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

 

Method

In a large wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 10-15 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 2 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the tomatoes, chillies, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and turmeric powder. Mix well. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Remove the lid and cook uncovered until it thickens. Garnish with slices of fresh ginger, sliced chillies and fresh coriander leaves. Serve with warm rice or naan bread.

 

Tawa Tadka Keema

Ingredients

500g chicken mince

1 tsp garlic, chopped

2 tsp ginger, chopped

2 tbsp ghee

4 green chillies

2 tsp red chilli, crushed

1 tsp kasoorimerhi

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp mango pickle paste

Salt to taste

4 onions

2 spring onions

3 tomatoes

2 tbsp fresh coriander

 

Method

Heat ghee in a skillet (tawa) and add chopped ginger-garlic and sauté for few seconds. Add chopped onions and sauté. Add all the spices, tomatoes and pickle. Mix well and cook. Then add chicken mince, cook for at least 10 minutes. Add spring onions and mix well. Remove from heat. Finally garnish with fresh coriander and serve it on sizzling platter.

 

Bihari Dum Gosht

Ingredients

½ kg beef fillet

¼ cup fried crushed onion

2 tbsp chopped onion

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

4 tbsp mustard oil

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp crushed red chilli powder

5 almonds

2 tsp desiccated coconut

½ tbsp sesame seeds

½ tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp yogurt

2 tbsp papaya paste

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Charcoal for smoke

 

Method

In a spice mixture, add sesame seeds, almonds, fried onion and coconut, grind well and set aside. In a bowl, add beef fillet, yogurt, salt, papaya paste, ginger-garlic paste, grounded mixture, coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, and turmeric powder, mix well and marinate for 4-5 hours or overnight. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and fry until golden brown. Now add marinated beef, mix well and cook on high flame for five minutes. Add water and mix, cover and cook on low flame for 1 hour or until meat is tender and oil floats over all. Give a coal smoke for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

 

Parsi Mutton Cullets

Ingredients

500g mutton mince

5 bread slices

Salt to taste

½ tbsp ginger paste

½ tbsp garlic paste

6-8 green chillies, finely chopped

1 ½tsp red chilli powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp roasted cumin powder

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

1 cup bread crumbs

4 eggs

Lemon wedges

Onion rings

 

Method

Squeeze the minced mutton between the palms of your hands to remove excess water.

Soak the bread in one cup of water for half a minute and squeeze to remove excess water. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the oil, bread crumbs and eggs. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 3 to 4 hours, preferably in a refrigerator. Divide the marinated mince into 12 equal portions, shape each portion into a ball and roll in breadcrumbs. Place each ball on a flat surface and flatten with your finger into a 4 inch patty, dusting with breadcrumbs as required. Place the cutlets in a refrigerator for half an hour. Heat oil in a deep pan. Beat eggs lightly with salt and two tablespoons of water. Dip the cutlets in the egg and deep fry on each side. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot.

 

Creamy Potato Salad

Ingredients

½ kg potatoes boiled and peeled

1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup medium onion, chopped

4 hard cooked eggs

1 tsp chopped paprika

 

Method

Cut the boiled potatoes into cubes. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a large glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion, toss. Stir in eggs. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend flavours and chill. Store covered in refrigerator.

 

Gil-E-Firdaus

Gil-E-Firdaus is an elaborate but memorable sweet dish, made commonly in Hyderabad during festivals and weddings. Sago and coarsely-crushed rice are cooked in milk and perked up with a range of ingredients like bottle gourd, nuts, condensed milk and cashew paste to get a lusciously creamy dessert with a unique feel. Saffron, cardamom and rose water give the Gil-E-Firdause a rich flavour, which lingers on your palate long after your cup is empty.

Ingredients

¼ cup soaked sago

½ cup long grain rice

4 cups milk

A few saffron strands

1 tsp warm milk

1 tbsp ghee

¼ cup almond slivers

½ cup grated bottle gourd

3 tbsp cashew nut paste

1 cup condensed milk

¼ tsp cardamom powder

¼ tsp vanilla essence

½ tsp rose water

 

Method

Combine the saffron and warm milk in a bowl, mix well and keep aside. Soak the basmati rice for 10 minutes in enough water, drain and keep aside. Allow them to dry on muslin cloth for 30 minutes. Coarsely grind the dried rice in the grinder. Keep aside. Heat the ghee in a small non- stick pan, add the almond slivers and sauté on medium flame for 2 minutes, till they become golden brown in colour, drain them on an absorbent paper and keep aside for garnish. In the same ghee, add the bottle gourd and sauté on a medium flame for 3 minutes. Stirring continuously, until it becomes soft. Keep aside. In a deep non- stick pan, add the milk, sago, crushed rice, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes, while stirring continuously. Add the bottle gourd, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 2 minutes. Add the saffron milk mixture, cashew nut paste, condensed milk, cardamom powder and vanilla essence, mix well and cook for 4 minutes on very low flame. Switch off the flame, add rose water and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve chilled garnished with crispy almond slivers.

 

Coconut Cotyledon or Coconut Apple kheer

In Bangla we call it Khopra. Generally, we use coconut for its nutritious juice and meat. However, in some mature coconuts, we will find a round, soft, spongy structure in the middle after we crack open the coconut. This spongy mass is amazingly yummy! It is sweet and moist and has very similar texture to cotton candy. In fact it is healthier than coconut juice and coconut water. Eat it raw, you will find it buttery with flavour similar to coconut tender meat.

 

Ingredients

1 cup coconut cotyledon or coconut apple (khopra)

3 cup coconut milk

½ cup coconut cream

10 pieces fresh rose petals

2 cup coconut, cut into small cubes

1 tin condensed milk

½ cup mawa

2 tbsp pistachio, with shell

1 tbsp walnut

3 bananas

5 drops rose water

½ tsp cinnamon powder

¼ tsp cardamom powder

6 silver paper

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp butter

1 tsp pistachio slivers for garnish

 

Method

In a pan, mix all the milk, coconut, coconut cream, mawa and sugar together. Also mix cardamom powder and cinnamon powder. Boil on high heat. When milk mixture is thoroughly cooked, add coconut cotyledon and mix well. Remove from heat and keep in a chiller till it's time to serve. In a pan, put 1 tablespoon of sugar. When sugar starts melting, add honey, pistachio, walnut and sesame seeds. Lastly, add sliced bananas, and finish with butter. For plating, put kheer in a bowl and garnish with silver paper and pistachio slivers. Put the caramel alongside with the rose petals and serve.

 

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed