VCC 376 - Kuniwali Brandy Ghost aka Mutton Cooked in Earthenware Pot

We are back once again after a short sabbatical from routine blogging.

At FAHC, the content development phase is still going on where all gathered recipes for You Can Cook book are being proofreaded, edited, and formatted. We will need a few taste-testers; I will write a separate post on this detailing the perquisites.

For today, here are a few more heirloom dish recipes kindly contributed by Golden Reejshinghani to the group cookbook project 'You Can Cook' for 'Feed a Hungry Child' campaign.

In Golden Reejshinghani's own words,

"By participating in Feed a Hungry Child Campaign's group book project – ‘You Can Cook’, gastronomy is creating new ways to motivate individuals and organizations to join the fight against global poverty. I am proud to support this delicious effort and urge all to contribute."

"History of the recipes as given by my grand mom: In ancient days before the advent of modern cookware our grandparents cooked in earthen ware pots. Even today in many villages of India people use this earthen ware cookware to cook and eat in them. The best example is the kuller an earthen ware cup in which tea is served in every railway station in India. Even in modern restaurants yoghurt is made in earthen ware dishes. Phirni a delectable dessert is prepared and served in earthen ware plates.Kuni ghost is one of the most famous dishes of Pakistan where I was adapted by the sindhis. It is an earthy mixture of mutton, brandy and other delectable spices which when slow cooked in an earthen ware pots makes it into a dish which you can die for because this dish had not only mothers love in it but an amazingly earthly flavor which is unique to this type of cooking."

"In our house my grand mother added enough ghee to stand 1 inch above the level of the mutton. This she said provided health and energy to her many children and children. This dish was cooked on wooden or coal fire but now days you can cook it in a pressure cooker."

Kuniwali Brandy Ghost aka Mutton Cooked in Earthenware Pot recipe

Utensils needed: One black earthen ware pot with a tight fitting earthen ware lid.

Ingredients
500 grams lambs’ mutton, clean and chopped into small pieces.
250 grams onions, minced.
100 grams tomatoes chopped.
¼ cup brandy.
2 tablespoons tamarind juice.
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste.
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves.
2 green chilies chopped.
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
1 tablespoon dhania jeera powder.
1 teaspoon garam masala powder.
4 cloves,2 cardamoms,1 bay leaf.
½ inch piece cinnamons stick
Salt and chili powder to suit the taste.
5 tablespoons pure ghee.

Method
Mix all the ground spices tamarind and salt with mutton. Set aside for ½ an hour. Wash the pot well and put over a slow fire. Add all the whole spices. When the spices give out a pleasant aroma put all the ingredients into the pot. Take some wheat flour and add enough water to form soft dough. Cover the pot with its cover and seal the cover with the dough on all the sides so that the steam does not escape. Cook over slow fire till the dough turns red and hard. Remove from fire break open the seal and put in a serving plate. If you want you can add more pure ghee to the dish before serving.

VCC: VCC Q4-2006: FAHC: FAHC-campaign