Mutton Korma, Mutton Yakhni & Firni - Kashmiri Cuisine

1 1/2 kg mutton, cut into medium pieces
6 tablespoon oil
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder
2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli paste
750 g yogurt
1 tablespoon Kashmiri onion paste / pran
3 1/2 cup mutton stock
1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon black cardamom powder
Salt to taste

To make pran, or Kashmiri onion paste, take roughly 450 g small red onions ( the smaller the better ) and thinly slice them. Sprinkle salt and keep aside for 3 - 4 minutes to draw out the water. squeeze out the extra water with your hands, and then fry the onions in 4 tablespoon of oil till they turn light golden brown. Remove from the pan and place on sheets of kitchen paper to remove / excess oil. Once cool, give the onions a quick blend in a food processor or grind with a pestle to get a thick , dark golden - brown paste.

Heat oil in a heavy - bottomed saucepan, and throw in the cinnamon stick, cloves and let them crackle.

Add the fennel and ginger powder, chilli paste, mutton and salt, and saute for about 5 minutes on a low heat.

Slowly and gradually, add the yogurt to the mixture. Stir continuously until it reduces by roughly a third.

Add the pran and the mutton stock, and cook on low heat for another 30 minutes or till the mutton is tender.

Now stir in the garam masala and black cardamom powder. If the gravy is too thin, let it reduce further on low heat till it thickens to the desired consistency. Serve hot with rice / parathas / rotis.

400 g mutton, chopped and washed
2 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger - garlic paste
1 tablespoon cashew nut paste
300 g yogurt
White pepper powder to taste
Salt to taste
50 g cooking oil
Fresh cream to garnish
Fried red chilli to garnish

Fry chopped onion in oil until golden brown.

In a bowl, mix ginger - garlic and cashew nut paste.

Add yogurt to the mixture and stir well.

Add mutton and fried onions to the mixture and mix well. Transfer this to a heavy bottomed kadai. Cover with a lid and cook till almost done. Season with white pepper powder and salt and cook again for another 15 minutes on a low heat.

Remove from the heat and garnish with cream and fried red chilli. Serve with rice / rotis.

1/4 cup ( 50 g ) basmati rice
1/4 cup ( 60 ml ) water
6 1/2 cups ( 1 1/2 litres ) milk
3/4 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons ( 180 g ) sugar
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) green cardamoms, husks removed, seed powdered
15 ( 8 g ) pistachio, shredded

Soak rice for 2 hours and drain. Grind rice, gradually adding water, till smooth.

Bring milk to boil in a bowl/ saucepan on medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent cream forming on top and milk thickening on sides, till milk is reduced by about 1 cup.

Add sugar. Stir till sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Mix ground rice. Gradually, add to milk, stirring occasionally.

Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour firni into 6 shallow earthen bowls ( about 3/4 cup in each ). Sprinkle cardamom and pistachio nuts. Allow to cool at room temperature. Refrigerate. Serve cold.