One thing that kept me from becoming a vegetarian for a long time was my love for minced meat or keema. It could be a simple keema naan (a Moti Mahal speciality), a keema samosa, keema matar or a humble seekh kebab, I would love them all with equal edible passion. I could eat at least half a dozen seekh kebabs drizzled with generous amount of mint chutney and topped with onion slices rolled up in tandoori kulchas at a time.
Lately people have become wary of eating minced meat preparations in commercial establishments due to their fear of adulteration—remember the horror stories about horsemeat in burger patties? So my advice is to stick to reputed and safe eateries when being adventurous enough to try mince meat dishes. Even better, buy prime meat whole from the super market and mince them at home and indulge your taste buds with some mouth-watering special recipes
One of the recipes I am gong to share with you today is a special recipe developed by me for a special occasion. It’s part of the tasting menu for the launch of Motimahal in USA. The launch of my Motimahal Restaurant in USA in November 2014 will also mark the release of my book “Kebab Trail” which won the best cook book in the world award given by Gourmand in the foreign recipe category in China in 2014. For the launch, I will be preparing a three course meal. Obviously I had to include a mince meat dish in the menu.After some thinking and R&D, I came up with the unique idea of combining simple keema with a french puff pastry and the result was amazingly tasty.This recipe is dedicated to my love for France and french cuisine.
keema peas on puff pastry
Ingredients:
■ Green cardamon 3
■ Black cardamom 1
■ Cloves 4
■ Onion chopped 3 medium sized
■ Tomatoes 2 chopped finely
■ Green chilli chopped 4
■ Ginger paste 2 tbsp
■ Garlic paste 1 tbsp
■ Ghee 2tbsp
■ Salt to taste
■ Lamb minced 500gm
■ Green peas 1/2 cup par boiled
■ Coriander seeds roasted and pounded 1tsp
■ Cumin seeds roasted and pounded 1tsp
■ Red chilli powder (degi) 1tsp
■ Turmeric powder 1tsp
■ Garam masala 1tsp
■ Kasoori methi 1/2tsp
For garnish
2 sprigs of coriander chopped
2 green chillies slit Yellow butter 2 cubes
2 hard boiled eggs cut into halves
method:
■ Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan
■ Add green and black cardamom, let them splutter
■ Add chopped onions and saute till golden brown
■ Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for another 2 minutes
■ Add coriander, cumin, chilli powder and salt along with 2 tbsp of water and saute
■ Add tomato puree and saute till ghee leaves sides
■ Add fresh mutton mince and saute for 3o minutes on slow flame, fold in 1/2 cup water and let it simmer for some time
■ Add parboiled peas to keema along with chopped and deseeded green chillies and kasoori methi
■ Finish with ginger juliennes and chopped fresh corianderFor puff pastry
■ Take a readymade pastry sheet, divide into three and sprinkle dry flour on them Keep one at the bottom
■ From the other two, cut the centres paste them with brushing beaten eggs on sides on top of each other so all three are on top of each other
■ Line the baking dish with butter paper and bake the sheets till risen to puffs and golden brown
■ Pour the keema peas and garnish and serve hot Garnish
■ Cut the eggs in halves and garnish the keema puffs as shown in picture