Frithad

Ingredients :

500gm Mutton, Chicken or Beef

2 Potatoes ( medium size )

1 small ball  Tamarind ( the size of a lime )

6 Kashmir Chillies

1 table sp Coriander seeds ( Dhania )

¼ tea sp Cumin seeds ( Jeera )

1 tea sp Sesame seeds ( Teel )

1 tea sp Poppy seeds ( Khus khus )

2  inches Cinnamon sticks ( Dalchini )

5 Pepper corns

2 Cardamom ( Elaichi )

3  nos Cloves ( Lavang )

¼ tea sp Turmeric ( Haldi )

5  Cashew nuts ( optional )

9 flakes Garlic ( Lasan )

2 Onions ( medium size )

2 table sp     Cooking oil

1 ½  cups water

1 tea sp  Salt ( adjust amount to taste )

Instructions :

Cut meat into small ( about 1 inch ) pieces.

Peel potatoes, and cut into pieces.

Soak tamarind in water for at least 10 minutes. Extract juice/pulp by squeezing.

Put chillies, coriander, cumin, sesame, poppy, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, cashew, and garlic into a mixer / grinder and grind (add sufficient water ) to a smooth paste.

Slice onions. In a heavy bottom sauce pan heat oil and fry onions until light brown.

Add the ground mixture and fry on medium heat for about one minute ( until you get a nice smell ).

Add the meat pieces and stir fry for a few minutes, until almost dry.

Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook till almost done.

Add potatoes and peas. Cook until potatoes are soft.

Add tamarind pulp/juice. Stir and remove from heat.

Frithad Masala

Frithad Masala is usually wet-ground and used immediately.

This recipe is for dry Frithad Masala that can be stored for a few months. For the wet masala, refer to the recipe for Frithad Curry

Ingredients :

60        Kashmir Chillies

10        table sp         Coriander seeds ( Dhania )

3          tea sp            Cumin seeds ( Jeera )

10        tea sp            Sesame seeds ( Til )

10        tea sp            Poppy seeds ( Khus khus )

20        inches            Cinnamon sticks ( Dalchini )

2          tea sp            Pepper corns

20        Cardamom ( Elaichi )

30        nos     Cloves ( Lavang )

2          tea sp            Turmeric ( Haldi )

Instructions :

Leave the ingredients in the sun and allow to dry.

Put all the ingredients in a mixer / grinder and turn on the machine until the spices are finely ground. Sieve. Repeat this procedure with the thicker pieces.

Allow the ground mixture to cool and store in a sterilised air-tight bottle. Keep it away from heat and sunlight.

Notes :

This recipe yields about 60 tea spoons of Frithad Masala.