As kids, whenever we felt under the weather there were two staples, chicken soup and stew. While the soup was the standard remedy for colds, stews were prescribed for almost everything, from fever to upset stomachs.
While the chicken (or mutton) stew would follow Western recipes (lots of veggies, onions and pepper), as we grew up, we realised that there was a whole world of stews that we were not aware of. There was the Kerala stew with its coconut milk and whole spices and curry leaves and then there were the Mughlai stews, with lots of fat and flavour. In fact the Mughlai stew (or ishtu) is the precursor of all stews and traces its genealogy to ancient Persia.
These stews are great winter foods, though not recommended if you are suffering from a bout of Delhi Belly.
Mughlai Mutton Ishtu
Ingredients
500 gm mutton ribs (a bit fatty meat preferable)
2 medium onions, grated
2 tbsp garlic paste
1.5 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp cashew nut paste
6 green cardamoms, crushed
3 black cardamoms
6 tbsp yogurt
3 tbsp cream
1 tsp powdered mace (javitri)
10 whole dried red chillies
6 green chillies, slit
Salt
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp saffron, infused in 4 tbsp warm milk
1 tsp kewra water
½ cup ghee
Method
In a large bowl mix the meat, yogurt, onion, ginger, garlic, cashew paste, green and black cardamoms, mace powder, salt and sugar. Marinate for 2 hours.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add only the meat and fry over medium heat for around 10 minutes. Add the marinade and the whole red chillies and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cover and cook on low pressure for 45 minutes (one whistle on high heat, two on low).
Turn off the heat and let the pressure fall before opening. Add the saffron milk, the cream and the slit green chillies and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add the kewra water, mix and remove from heat.
Best served with naan.
Kerala Stew
Ingredients
1 kg mutton or chicken
¼ cup oil
3 cinnamon sticks, 1” long
12 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1 ½ tbsp black peppercorns, crushed
½ cup onions, sliced
6 green chillies, slit
1 ½ ginger, julienned
15 garlic cloves
One sprig curry leaves
1 tbsp flour
2 ¼ tbsp vinegar
½ cup thick coconut milk
3 cups thin coconut milk
½ cup potatoes and carrots, cubed
½ cup beans and peas
12 black peppercorns
Method
Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamoms and black peppercorns. Then add the onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and stir fry till golden brown. Remove from the oil and keep aside.
In the same oil, stir in the flour and sauté for a minute, now add in the meat and fry for a couple of minutes to seal the juices. Add 1 ½ tablespoon of vinegar, salt and the thin coconut milk.
When the meat is half cooked, add the vegetables and onion mixture. Cook covered till the gravy has reduced. Add the remaining vinegar and the thick coconut milk. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Add the black peppercorns and serve hot.
Best with rice or appams