Pakistani Healthy Food

Pakistani Mutton Handi .Handi means an earthenware or metal pot used in Pakistani cooking. . Mutton Handi is one of the most popular dishes in Pakistan. Lean meat, preferably bone-in, is cooked in a wok-like pot called a ``handi'' with plenty of fresh tomatoes. Also popular street food. Handi's lean meat is cooked until it falls off the bone. Once the spicy tomato sauce is mixed with the meat, it is completed with plenty of fresh ginger and coriander leaves. This recipe was inspired by my mother. She cooked our beef handi and my chicken handi nicely in this dhaba style mash daal. As you can see, mutton handi, or meat cooked in handi, is very popular and can be made with different types of meat. INGREDIENTS Although traditional handi is made with bone-in mutton pieces or bone-in lamb, I cooked this recipe with boneless lamb pieces. i.Lamb - My kids like boneless meat so I get a boneless lamb leg from the mutton shop and cut it into small pieces to use in curries. The meat is lean, juicy, and extremely tender. ii. Cooking Oil - Use any high-heat cooking oil such as avocado, canola, or sunflower. iii. Plain Yogurt - Don't use Greek yogurt in your cooking! It will curdle and spoil your curry. Plain cow's milk full fat yogurt is preferred if you want a creamy curry. PRODUCE a)a)Onions - I usually like to use yellow onions. if, as in this case, I can't source them, my second option is red onions. b)b)Tomatoes - Roma tomatoes are best suited for making curries. c)c)Garlic Paste - I batch make make my own and freeze it but remade store bought one is also an option. d)d)Cilantro - Try and buy cilantro with small, thin stems as this usually smells and tastes better. e)e)Ginger - Buy big juicy ginger with a thin skin. This will be juicier, with a better aroma, and will also be easier to julienne. f)Green Chilies - I like using Serrano peppers but you can use jalapenos if you prefer your curry a little less spicy. SPICES 1.Salt - I use plain Kosher salt. 2.Red Chili Powder - I try and use National or Shan Masalas from my local Asian store or through Amazon. These are both Pakistani brands and I like the authentic taste they give my recipes. 3.Kashmiri Red Chili Powder - In the event that National or Shan are available everywhere our local stores. 4.Coriander Powder - Many spices can also be found in local supermarkets now, so feel free to check your nearest store. 5.Cumin Powder - There are many reputable local stores for spices in Pakistan. 6.Turmeric Powder - Some lesser known local spice stores I love are Savory Spice. 7.Dried Fenugreek Leaves - Last but not least in Lahore is one of the oldest specialty stores that deals in South Asian spices and ingredients and they also ship other countries 8.The Onion - I usually use yellow onions for my curries, but if the store is out of yellow onions then I opt for the red ones as I find other varieties too sweet. 9.Roma Tomatoes - These are my favorite tomatoes for curries as they are very juicy and melt easily to make a perfectly smooth curry. If these are not available then I try and find the juiciest variety available. Just try and avoid very firm varieties like Beefsteak tomatoes 10.fresh celery leaves, watercress leaves, powdered fenugreek or yellow mustard seeds. The yellow mustard seeds must be dry roasted and the ratio is 1 tsp mustard seeds per tbsp of fenugreek leaves. 11.Kashmiri Chili Powder - Kashmiri Chilli Powder is very easy to recreate. Just mix 3 parts Paprika and 1 part Cayenne to make whatever quantity of the powder you need. 12.Serrano Chilies - Serrano Chillies are the most common ones used in Pakistani cooking. However, they can be a little bit spicy. One way around this is to deserved them and only use the green part. The other way is to use jalapenos, which are milder in taste. INSTRUCTIONS THE ONIONS The traditional recipe for mutton handi doesn't call for onions. The curry is made purely from tomatoes and lots of them. With the help of 1 or more medium onions, depending on how much mutton curry you're making, you can get the same results more quickly and affordably. Since tomatoes have a high water content, adding more would add to the cooking time and the cost. The onions add the necessary bulk, take less time to cook down and are cheaper than tomatoes! Make sure to heat your cooking oil thoroughly before adding the onions in order for them to begin cooking right away. Cook the onions over high heat until they reach a desirable medium brown color, then introduce garlic paste and saute for a brief time period. Next up is the meat; cook it on high with your onion/garlic mix so as to trap flavoring juices within while continuing to sear until no pink remains visible. Add diced tomatoes without concern about their skins; once everything cooks down, there will be neither sight nor taste of said skin anyway—plus, this is where most vitamins reside! I prefer all my curries made just like this. Heat the tomato over high heat until it partially dissolves. Afterward, add 2 cups of water and cover with a lid before allowing it to simmer on low for approximately thirty minutes. Once done, stir in handi masala (a blend of dried spice powders and herbs) followed by replacing the lid then cooking again over low flame for an additional twenty minutes. Afterward, remove the pot's cover; if there is little excess liquid remaining you may increase to the high heat setting but should make sure any lingering liquids or flavors from prior steps are roasted along with meat as desired while drying out what remains using small amounts of yogurt added gradually throughout this process!Once the curry is dry enough to be in the form of a thick paste, it's time to add in half the ginger and chopped green chilies. Cover the pot for 5 minutes for these ingredients to wilt a little bit and to let their flavors infuse the curry. Just before serving the curry, stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the fresh coriander (cilantro). Plate the cooked mutton or lamb in a serving dish and garnish with the remaining ginger, green chilies and cilantro. Hint: You will know that your curry is ready when the oil separates from the tomato base. This indicates that all the liquid has evaporated and the ingredients in the curry are fully blended. PREP TIME 15 minutes COOK TIME 1 minute  TOTAL TIME16 minutes  CUISINE, Pakistani SERVINGS 8  people CALORIES 243 kcal INGREDIENTS A.2 lb lamb or mutton B.¼ cup cooking oil C.1 onion D.1 tbsp garlic paste E.4 Roma tomatoes F.2 cups water G.½ tbsp dried fenugreek leaves H.1 tsp salt I.1 tsp red chili powder J.1 tsp kashmiri chili powder K.1 tsp coriander powder L.1 tsp cumin powder M.½ tsp turmeric powder N.½ cup plain yogurt O.2 serrano peppers P.2 tbsp julienned ginger Q.½ cup cilantro INSTRUCTIONS  Heat the oil and brown the onions. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the meat and brown it. Once the meat is nicely browned, add the chopped tomatoes along with the 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer on low for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, uncover, add in all the spices and cook for another 20 minutes. After 20 minutes uncover the pot and dry out all the excess water. Once the water is almost gone, add in the green chillies and the yogurt, a little at a time and saute the meat. Once the meat looks well roasted and the tomatoes, yogurt and spices are coating it in a smooth paste, turn the stove off. Garnish the meat with the julienned ginger and cilantro and serve.