Left-Over recipes...

You always feel what to do with these leftover foods after dinner or specially next day when you go to kitchen for cooking. Your refrigerator is half full with these left over foods and you are biting your nail(i do specially)..

Curd Rice :::

Ingredients:::

2 cup of rice,

1 cup of curd or yogurt,
5 tsp of warm milk,
2 tsp of fresh or sour cream or whipped cream,
a pinch of mustard seeds, chana dal / split chickpeas, urad daal / split black gram daal,
1/3 tsp ginger, finely chopped or paste, optional
4-5 green chillies slit lengthwise,optional
1/4 tsp asafoetida or hing,
a handful of cashew nuts,
1 tsp of ghee ,

1 small cube of clarified butter, optional

a few sliced grapes, optional

salt as your taste.

Method:::
1. Add 6 cups of water in washed rice and cook.Rice should be little overcooked or paste like. Or use leftover rice. If rice is little tough then add warm water and let it sit for some time.
2. Mix curd and cream very nicely in a bowl. Add salt to it according to your taste.

3. Mix this curd mixture into the rice thoroughly.Here adjust the salt and add warm milk to the rice. Also add sliced grapes to rice. Set aside.

4. Heat ghee in a small pan,add mustard seeds and when it splutter,add asafoetida,whole red chilli,curry leaves, urad dal and chana dal. Saute for half a minute.
5. Add ginger paste and green chillies and then cashew nuts. Fry until cashew nuts turns into light brownish color. Switch off the flame and let the tempering cool down a little.
6. Now pour this tempering on the top of curd mixed rice and mix gently serve chilled.You can add melted butter on the top of curd rice while serving. Serve with lemon or mango pickle.

This preparation is little rich but very delicious in taste if you follow the recipe . But you can make it healthy without adding cream and using oil instead of ghee but then you will be missing the nice aroma of curd rice. Hang curd for an hour or use greek yogurt if you dont like to add sour cream.

Curd rice goes the best with spicy pickle .

You can add one cup of milk to the curd mixture and keep it aside so that milk becomes curd inside the curd rice mixture only and that will give extra taste.

While serving , add the tempering and serve chilled.

Murg Saagwala ::::

I had less time to cook something for my friend's surprise birthday party and found left-over chicken 65 in freezer and spinach packet and within on time I prepared this lip-smacking preparation.It came really good with half an hour time and very little effort. 
Ingredients :::
one cup of left over chicken 65,
3/4 lbs fresh spinach leaves,
one small onion, diced
one fresh tomato, sliced
2 cloves garlic,
3 tsp kashuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves,
salt to tasste,
1 tsp oil.

Method::
1. Wash spinach with warm water. Heat oil in pressure cooker and add spinach,tomato, onion, garlic and salt. Let it cook for one whistle or minimum 12 minutes and then take out extra water and blend smoothly.
2. Heat little oil in a wok / kadai, add chicken pieces and fry for 2-3 minutes and then add water you have taken from pressure cooker. Once it boils, add spinach paste and let it cook covered for 10-14 minutes on low-medium flame or until oil separates.
3. Take kashuri methi in your palms and rub it nicely and then sprinkle on curry and mix it lightly. Serve hot with any paratha, naan or roti.
I have used mozzarella cheese for garnishing. You can use little garam masala also. For this preparation, you can prepare chicken pieces and then add to the spinach or any other gravy to save your time.
Click here for Chicken 65 recipe.

Stuffed Capsicum / Bell Pepper:::

I always hate to throw left-over foods and recently got couple of small bell pepper or what we say, capsicum which are very rare in normal markets and thought of preparing this yummy dish. This is a north-Indian popular preparation but nowadays people all over India love this relishing dish which is an eye-catcher for your party as starter or with main meals. Again I got the whole recipe from my lovely neighbor.
Ingredients ::::
one cups of paneer butter masala,
one pinch of red chilli powder,
1/4 tsp garam masala powder,
1 tbsp oil,
salt if needed.

Method:::
1. Heat little oil in a pan, add paneer butter masala to the pan. Sprinkle water if the curry is totally dry. Cover the pan for 3-4 minutes on low medium flame. Now take out the lid and then smash the paneer pieces with a spatula or flat spoon nicely while stirring occasionally. When all the paneer pieces are totally mashed or crumbled then add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and a pinch of salt and mix everything again nicely and saute for another 2 minutes. Let it cool for 5-8 minutes.
2. Wash and pat dry and cut the capsicum / bell pepper from the top and scoop out the center. 
3. Take one spoonful of paneer masala and fill the capsicum while pressing lightly inside the capsicum. See the above picture. Repeat with all of them.
4. Preheat the oven to 300F and spray or apply oil on the capsicum and place on the aluminum sheet or cookie sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Once done, serve hot.
You can use any left-over curries or dry vegetable fries for stuffing too. You can fry these stuffed capsicum adding little oil in a pan  

Baked Malai Cabbage kofta curry :::

Cabbage fry is another favorite dish at my home and with rotis or parathas it goes very well even with my son's lunch too. But soft creamy koftas or fried balls simmered in spicy curry from left-over cabbage fry is more delicious and new favorite at my family. This time I baked koftas to get rid of deep-frying and result is delicious baked koftas without feeling guilty of deep-fried food and less calories, with less cooking time.
Ingredients :::
for koftas or balls...
one cup of left-over any cabbage dry dishes,
5 tbsp finely chopped cashew nuts,raisins,almonds,
1 tbsp mawa / khoya / solidified milk,
2-3 nos. green chillies, finely chopped,
1 tbsp rice flour,
3 tbsp besan / chick peas flour,
salt to taste,
1/3 tsp ginger-garlic paste,optional
for curry...
one big tomato, paste
one small onion, paste
1/4 tsp ginger paste,
1/2 tsp cumin-coriander powder,
1/2 tsp red chilli powder,
1/4 tsp turmeric powder,
4-5 tsp fresh curd / yogurt,
1/4 tsp cumin seeds,
one bay leaf,
salt to taste,
a pinch of sugar,
3 tsp oil for frying.

Method::
1. Prepare dough by mixing all the ingredients mentioned above for koftas or balls. Cover with a wet cloth or paper napkin for 15 mins. Make medium size balls from the dough and place on paper towel.
2. Preheat oven at 250F and then place all the kofta on the baking plate or sheet and spray little oil and cook for 10-12 mins. Once done, brush or spray some oil on the koftas and let it cook at 350F for another 10 mins. Make sure koftas are not overcooked or dry. Take out all the koftas and keep aside.
3. Mix cumin-coriander powder, red chilli powder,turmeric powder and yogurt in a bowl adding little warm water and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a kadai, add sugar and let it caramelize and then add bay leaf and cumin seeds.
5. When cumin seeds splutters, add ginger and onion paste and let it cook for 5 mins. Then add tomato paste and saute for a min.
6. Add spiced mixed yogurt / curd to the pan and cover the pan and let it cook for 5-7 mins. Once done, add one cup of warm water and let it simmer for 6-7 mins on low flame.
7. Add koftas to the curry and let it simmer on low flame. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
While adding water to the gravy at step 6, make sure you are adding enough water as koftas soak water and your gravy will become dry. You can add koftas while serving the dish too and in that case, add koftas to the curry and make it warm. Check the temperature and koftas while baking in oven for the first time too.

Cabbage vada / Badhakopir Bora ::: 

After my son's birthday party, I was feeling bad to throw left-over cabbage fry. I had two times with plain rice and then everything about to throw in dustbin. That day one of my friend gave me excellent suggestion to prepare couple of dishes with the same. I made three new dishes from that cabbage dish. Every time, I had a feeling that I m eating something fresh. These cabbage vada, one of the recipes, was so yummy and the best for evening snack with a cup of hot tea.
Ingredients:::
one cup of left-over cabbage fry,
one handful of kasuri methi / dry fenugreek leaves,
one and half cup of besan / gram flour ,
a pinch of amchoor / dry mango powder,
salt as per your taste,
sufficient oil for deep frying.
Method:::
1. Make a rough paste of cabbage fry with blender or mixer adding a pinch of salt.
2. Take a big bowl and take cabbage paste and mix with all the ingredients except oil.Add little water 
if it is too dry. Mix nicely to avoid any lumps. Make small flatten shape vadas.
3. Heat sufficient oil in a pan and deep fry all the vadas until deep brown in color on medium flame.
4. Keep the vadas on paper napkins to absorb extra oil. Serve with any chutney or simply tomato ketchup.
You need to blend the left-over vegetables to give a better taste . But you can also smash with hand nicely and then mix all the ingredients.You can use store-brought Pakora masala instead of using dry fenugreek leaves and dry mango powder. I generally use MDH pakora masala. While using kasuri methi / dry fenugreek leaves, take on your palm and rub nicely and then use it. For extra spiciness, you can finely chopped green chillies too. I made little dry dough like to make flatten balls, but you can add more water to make thick consistency batter and put a spoonful of batter to prepare pakora.


Patta


Another simple rice preparation I m sharing with you. First time after our marriage, one fine morning my husband asked me to prepare this rice for his lunch box.That's my mother-in-law used to prepare for lunch box for kids. Now whenever there is nothing for lunchbox I prepare as you need only yogurt / curd as side dish or sometimes I give simply this rice dish. This recipe I have submitted to the Event : Quick and Easy recipes too.

Ingredients :::
2 cups cooked rice,
1 small onion,finely chopped or sliced,
4-5 green chillies chopped,
4-5 cloves,
3-4 cinnamon,
3-4 cashew nuts ,optional.
salt as per taste,
oil to fry.

Method :::
1. Heat oil in a pan,add cloves and cinnamon and fry until nice aroma comes out.
2. Add onions and green chillies fry nicely adding salt .
3. Now add cooked rice and mix thoroughly. You can add little ghee here too and Serve hot.

This preparation I tried sometimes with Basmati rice too and then I add a handful of fresh or frozen green peas too.Use a little ghee /  clarified butter while frying to get nice aroma.

Coriander/Cilantro Rice:::::This dish is very delicious and even if you don't tell nobody can understand that you made with last night left-over rice.All you want you have to be careful about this dish is,rice should be cold and better if you cook the rice before 12 hours.You can make this dish very well with Basmati/any flavored rice.But here I used last night's leftover rice.I have seen long back this recipe from some website..I don't remember now and I have made this dish with a little variation. You can serve with raita and salad.

Ingredients:
4-5 cups cooked rice,
part I..to paste :
one bunch of coriander/cilantro leaves,
5-6 pudina/mint leaves,
5-6 green chillies,
1/2 grated coconut,
1 piece garlic,
less than half inch ginger,
2-4 cashew nuts,
salt as per taste,
Part II...for seasoning::
1/4tsp mustard seeds,chana dal,urad dal each,
1 whole red chilli,
4-5 curry leaves,
5-6 cashew nuts,
7-8 tsp oil.

Method:::
1.Make a smooth paste of all the ingredients from part I except the seasoning.If necessary add some water to paste the ingredients. Keep aside.
2.Now take a deep frying pan,heat oil and add all the ingredients from part II for seasoning.here you can add half cup of chopped onions if you wish.and fry nicely for 3 mins.
3.Now add the paste and stir nicely .Add salt as per taste and add some water.and cover with a lid and let it cook for 5-7 mins on medium flame.
4.Open the lid and stir once again. When done ,nice aroma will come out and then you can add cooked rice and mix thoroughly.and serve hot with any gravy dishes or any chutney.

The first thing comes to my mind whenever I see left-over rice in my kitchen is Lemon Rice or commonly called in South India as Pulihora. This dish is very common in Southern part of India, specially in Temples  and everyday cooking too. Puli means sour taste. Pulihora can also be referred as sour rice.Very easy to make and tasty dish.Most of the south Indian families love to make this dish with leftover rice.Nowadays, other parts of India people loves this dish a lot. I learned from my mother-in-law. Every family has their own way to prepare the recipe. But here I am sharing my recipe. 

Ingredients:
1/4 mustard seeds, chana daal, urad daal each
2 whole red chilli,
a pinch of hing  /Asafoetida powder,
4-5 nos. fresh curry leaves,
1/4 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger,
1/5 tsp turmeric powder,
5-6 nos. lengthwise cut green chillies,
10-12 nos. peanuts or cashew nuts (you can use both),
5 cups cooked rice, preferably small grain rice
1 medium size lemon.
salt as per taste,
1/3 tsp oil for frying.

Method::::
1. Take a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, chana daal, urad daal. When mustard seeds start spluttering, add curry leaves, hing, peanuts/cashew nuts,chopped ginger,green chillies and fry nicely for 2-4 mins on slow flame.
2. Add turmeric powder and salt.Stir continuously to avoid burning.
3. Now add cooked rice and mix thoroughly. Now switch off the flame. Rice should be cold and totally out of water.
4. Squeeze the lemon in a cup / bowl and add half of it to rice and mix thoroughly. You can use your hand but i like to do with a spatula. Taste it , if you feel to pour little bit more than mix rest of lemon juice and mix very thoroughly. Cover it and keep aside.while serving just warm it and serve.

Now, some people after frying the ingredients,take off the pan and mix the cooked rice and then add lemon juice and mix cooked rice and serve cool.and some places,then mix lemon juice to cooked rice and then add to the seasoning. It is your wish how you feel comfortable mixing. You can cook rice immediately make it cool and them make this dish. But if the rice is little hot too,lumps will come and doesn't taste good.

Pulihora

Ingredients :::
2 cup cooked rice ,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp chana daal,
1/2 tsp split black gram /urad daal,
5-6 curry leaves,
2 whole dry red chillies,
a pinch of asafoetida powder,
1/3 tsp of turmeric powder,
1/4 cup of fresh scrapped coconut / dry coconut powder,
a medium size tamarind balls (available in Indian grocery),
a small piece of jaggery,
a pinch of red chilli powder,
7-8 no. peanuts,
salt as per taste,
oil to fry .

For  
a pinch of asafoetida,
2-3 red chilli whole,
1 or 2 tsp mustard seeds,
1.5 tsp of sesame seeds,
1 tsp chana daal,
a handful of peanuts,
1.5 tsp coriander seeds.


1. In a bowl, soak tamarind with warm water for 1-2 hrs or until you can mash with hands to take out pulp.
2. For masala, heat wok or kadai, heat 2-3 drops of oil and add hing and then the rest of ingredients and saute nicely and then cool and grind to a coarse powder.Keep aside. You can store this ground masala and use it again.
3. Heat oil in the same wok or kadai, add mustard seeds,asafoetida,chana daal,urad daal,red chillies,curry leaves and peanuts and stir fry nicely.
4. Now take tamarind pulp and jaggery and let it boil until jaggery melts. If needed add half of cup of warm water.Cover it on medium flame.
5. Now add rice and mix thoroughly and then sprinkle ground masala and salt and mix it nicely again.
6. Add scrapped coconut or dry coconut powder and drizzle little water and cover it for 5 mins on very slow flame.After that toss slightly and serve hot.
I used to prepare this dish with ready-made paste but after getting the original recipe from one of my husband's aunt I stopped using store-brought ones. Always be careful to prepare on low medium flame to avoid burning. This dish is always more tasty if you prepare and let it set for 4-5 hours then all the spices including tamarind get infused inside rice and that gives more flavor and taste to the dish..

Mutton n Lamb recipes..

Mutton / lamb chops fry ::::

Mutton or Lamb ribs have the best meats and we buy separately to fry what goes very well as side-dish of dum biriyani. This is one of spicy well-seasoned yet tasty non-veg Andhra dish.This delicious preparation is very commonly prepared in South-India during winter season. This yogurt marinated mutton ribs or what we call chops adding special spices are very palatable and mouth-watering. It is very easy to cook and goes very well with paratha, idli or dosa and ofcourse with biriyani. Here I have followed in-law's recipe with very little modifications.

Ingredients:::
2 lbs mutton / lamb ribs or chops,
2 big onions,finely sliced
2 big tomatoes,finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste,
4-5 nos. green chillies,
2 nos. dry red chilli,
1 tbsp tamarind pulp or lemon juice,
3 nos. cloves,
1" cinnamon stick,
2 tbsp coriander seeds,
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder,
1/2 tsp black pepper powder,
1/2 tbsp saunf / fennel seeds,
1/2 cup yogurt / curd, beaten
6-7 nos. fresh curry leaves,
chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnishing,
salt to taste and oil for frying.

Method :::
1. Wash mutton chops and pat dry with paper towel. Marinate with yogurt, 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste, salt and little oil. Keep it covered for 2-3 hours.
2. In the mean time, make a smooth paste of green chillies, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and coriander seeds with little water. Keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pressure cooker or vessel, add onion and little ginger-garlic paste and saute a little and then chopped tomatoes and fry a little and then add marinated mutton chops and fry for 2-3 minutes and add spice paste and then let it cook up to 4-5 whistles or 30 minutes. If you are not using pressure cooker , then let it cook until chops become tender.
4. Once done, heat little oil and add dry red chillies and curry leaves and saute for half a minute. 
5.  Add cooked mutton chops and fry for 7-8 minutes on medium flame. Once done, add tamarind pulp and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes and switch off gas. Serve hot with biriyani, paratha or plain rice.

If you do not want too much sour then add tamarind pulp in marination and do not use yogurt if you want more spicy taste. If you are using lemon juice then as soon as you pour lemon juice to the pan , switch off gas.

Mutton fry ..Andhra Style ::: 

Sometimes when you want to have something very rich and spicy food, this mutton fry is one the best choice with hot plain rice. I first had this preparation at in-laws house and almost cried out because of its spiciness. Lots of black pepper and fresh curry leaves give nice aroma and taste and you specially would love to have this dish in winter season. 

Ingredients :::
2 lbs goat-meat , cut into medium pieces,
one big onion, chopped finely,
4-5 nos. green chillies, slitted 
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste,
1 tsp black pepper powder,
1/2 tsp coriander powder,
1 tsp red chilli powder,
few fresh curry leaves,
1/4 tsp garam masala powder(optional),
2 tsp turmeric powder,
half cup lemon juice,
salt to taste and oil for frying.
Method:::
1. Wash mutton pieces thoroughly and then marinate with lemon juice,salt and turmeric powder for 3-4 hrs.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker or heavy bottomed pan, add chopped onions,curry leaves and green chillies and saute until onion becomes translucent and light brown in color. Sprinkle salt. 
3. Now add ginger-garlic paste and mutton pieces and fry on medium high heat for 5 mins stirring continuously. Add all the dry spices to the pan / pressure cooker and fry until oil separates and then add two cups of warm water and  cover the lid and let it cook on medium flame until done. If you are using pressure cooker then cook until 2 whistles.
5. Once done, wait for the steam come out completely and then open the pressure cooker and keep the cooker on medium flame and keep stirring until gravy thickens. Serve hot with plain rice or roti or paratha.
I generally like to have this preparation dry that's why I add only one cup of water while cooking in step 3. But if you want little gravy then add more water and make gravy as desired. This is very spicy preparation but if you want to adjust the spice level then don't add green chillies and red chilli powder.


Bengali Mutton Curry :::

This mutton preparation is purely Bengali style, the best Sunday lunch menu or any festival or wedding party menu. We say Pathar mangsher jhol, has its own different aroma, rich color and awesome taste. Any Bengali menu without this dish is totally incomplete. After my marriage, this is only recipe I used to use while preparing mutton and all my neighbors used to appreciate me telling that what a great cook I m. Every family has their own style of preparation and I also use my mom's recipe. Once you prepare this dish, you would not like any goat meat dishes as I don't.

Ingredients:::
2 lbs of mixed goat / mutton pieces,
4-5 medium size potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes,
2 big size onion, peeled and washed,
6-7 nos. green chillies,
2 inch ginger,peeled
5-6 nos. garlic cloves,
1 or 2 nos. bay leaf,
2 tbsp cumin powder,
1 tbsp turmeric powder,
1 1/2 tbsp of yogurt / curd,
6-7 nos. whole dry red chillies,
a pinch of sugar,
a pinch of whole cumin seeds,
1/2 tbsp garam masala powder,
salt to taste,
7 tbsp cooking oil, preferably mustard oil.
Method:::
1. Slice one big onion. Take a blender and make a smooth paste of onion,green chillies,ginger,garlic and bay leaf. Now in the same blender, add yogurt,cumin powder and turmeric powder and blend all together adding little water.
2. Wash and clean mutton / goat meat. Take a big bowl and marinate mutton pieces with the paste adding salt and 3 tbsp oil. Cover it and leave aside for at least 2 hours.
3. Now cut the other onion into medium size cubes. Keep aside.
4. Heat rest of oil in a pressure cooker,add little turmeric powder and add potatoes and fry nicely. When potatoes become light brownish in color, take out and keep aside.
5. Now in the same oil,sprinkle a pinch of sugar in oil.When sugar melts, add cumin seeds. 
6.When seeds start spluttering, add marinated mutton pieces in oil and starts stirring. Add left-over marination also in oil. 
7. Fry mutton pieces on medium to high flame for minimum 15 minutes or until oil comes out. Stir every 5 minutes. Now add cubes onion pieces and mix nicely and stir for 5 more minutes.
8. Add fried potatoes and mix with mutton and sprinkle garam masala powder and one cup warm water and close the pressure cooker and let it cook for 15-20 minutes or up to two whistles. Let it cool and when pressure goes off, open the pressure cooker and serve hot with plain steamed rice.
Now I generally crush cinnamon,cloves and cardamon together and then use it to get fresh and nice aroma what you can't get from store-brought ones. In India, my mom used to add raw papaya pieces instead of yogurt for easy cooking because in India, goat meat takes longer time to cook. It is better to use a pressure cooker for mutton / goat-meat for fast cooking. In normal pan, it will take longer time to cook. You can use tomatoes while frying and garnish with coriander leaves too.

Mamsam Pulusu / Andhra Mutton Curry :::

I brought the other day lamb which we generally don't eat but again I need to prepare something different and but spicy too. What would be the better idea to search a pure Andhra delicacy and make my south Indian friend happy. Andhra dishes specially non-veg ones are known for hot spicy taste and yet yummy too. This is very simple dish with one most important ingredient, tamarind along with basic ones which gives the dish a different aroma and tempting taste and you will try once more. Originally this recipe is from Sailusfood website which I prepared with little modifications.

Ingredients :::
1/2 kg or approx one lb lamb pieces,washed
2 tbsp turmeric powder,
2 tbsp extra hot red chilli powder,
2 large onions,
5 big garlic cloves,
3" ginger,
5 no. green chillies,
one big ball tamarind,
oil to fry,
salt to taste.
Method:::
1. Marinate lamb pieces with turmeric powder and salt.
2. Make a coarse paste of onions,green chillies,ginger and garlic. Keep aside.
3. Heat sufficient oil in a pressure cooker or deep bottomed pan, add onion paste and fry nicely up to 6-7minutes on medium flame and sprinkle a little bit salt to cook faster. You can keep the pan covered too.
4. Add lamb pieces  and red chilli powder and saute for 3-4 minutes or until oil separates .You can sprinkle little water if needed here. Then pressure cook adding one cup warm water up to two whistles or until almost done. 
5. In the mean time, soak tamarind into warm water for one hour and extract pulp out of it.
6. Add tamarind pulp into the pressure cooker or pan mixing slowly and let it cook for almost 25 minutes on low medium flame. You can add one cup warm water if you need thinner consistency. Adjust salt too. Try to avoid burning at the bottom stirring sometimes.
7. When lamb pieces are totally cooked and simmered in tamarind gravy, serve with hot plain rice or any rice dishes of your wish.
You can directly add lamb pieces in oil as the original recipe was but I marinated to avoid the raw smell.I already extracted tamarind pulp and simmer it with red chili powder and jaggery before which I used for this dish and that gave the dish extra tangy and spicy taste with a little touch of sweetness. You can adjust spice level too. and garnish with coriander leaves if you wish.

Gongura Mutton curry:::

This is one of south Indian states, Andra Pradesh special preparation which they prepare specially in winter season and this recipe has been prepared by my great-grandmother-in-law. I know I cannot make so good like her but I tried my best to prepare good. Gongura leaves are easily available in all the southern states of India and I have seen the same bunch of leaves in Eastern parts of India too but with different name. I don't know the English name but here in USA or countries this leaves are available.

 Gongura leaf

Ingredients:::

a bunch of gongura leaves, finely chopped

1 lb or 1/2 kg mutton pieces,washed and cleaned,
one medium size onion,finely chopped,
4-5 nos green chillies, slit lengthwise,
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste,
one small ripe tomato,finely chopped or pureed,
1 tsp turmeric powder,
2 tsp dhania powder,
1 tsp red chilli powder,
1/2 tsp cumin powder,
1/2 tsp garam masala powder,
salt as per taste,
2-3 tsp oil,
1/2 tsp ghee / clarified butter,
coriander leaves (optional)..

Method:::
1. Heat one and half tsp of oil in a pan.When smoke starts to come out, make the flame low and then add mutton pieces and half of the turmeric powder,red chilli powder,cumin powder,coriander powder and fry nicely on medium flame for 5 mins.
2. Now pressure cook mutton pieces with half cup of water for 3 or 4 whistles / 25 mins.Keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a kadai / deep bottomed pan, add chopped onions,green chillies and then saute for 2 mins. Then add ginger-garlic paste and saute again for 2 mins.
4. Add turmeric powder and chopped or pureed tomatoes and then chopped gongura leaves. Fry for 5mins.
5. When the leaves melts or cooked nicely then add cooked mutton pieces to the pan and mix everything properly and if needed add half cup water and then let it simmer on slow flame for 10-15mins.
6.When done, sprinkle garam masala and ghee on top and then serve hot.
Here in USA the leaves are very matured so after the step 4,make it cool little and then grind it to paste and then mix with mutton pieces.If the leaves are tender then no need to grind the leaves.

Mutton Chops Masala :::

This is an experimental dish of my dear husband.Whenever he wants me to give a treat or rest from kitchen,he goes to kitchen and never finds anything so whatever he feels good puts together and makes something.But this dish came very good and I love to eat again and again.This dish goes well with again hot steaming rice,fried rice or pulao and roti too.

Ingredients:
2lbs Goat/Lamb chops or ribs(approx 10-12 pieces),
1/2 cup curd/yogurt,
2 medium size onion finely chopped,
2 medium size tomatoes finely chopped,
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste,
6-7 green chillies chopped,
1 tsp red chilly powder,
1tsp cumin powder,
2 tsp coriander powder,
1/4 black pepper powder,
1/2 tsp garam masala powder,
oil n salt,
1 cup coriander leaves,
a few curry leaves.

Method::
1.Wash and clean chops and marinate with curd,ginger-garlic paste,coriander powder,cumin powder,red chilly powder,black pepper powder and little oil.
2.Keep aside for 1hour.
3.Now take a pressure cooker,heat 1 tsp oil and fry marinated mutton chops properly until raw smell goes off.Keep on stirring not to burn those pieces.
4.Add half of water and pressure cook up to 3 whistle or for 20mins(for pressure cooker without whistle).
5.Now heat oil in a pan ,add chopped onion,curry leaves and green chillies. Fry until onion becomes light brown in color.
6.Add chopped tomatoes and fry until oil separates.
7.At last ,add cooked ribs/chops and mix thoroughly and sprinkle garam masala and adjust salt.
8.Stir fry on very low flame first and after 5 mins on medium flame another 5 mins.
9.When oil separates,garnish with coriander leaves and Serve hot.
Always try to cook mutton in a pressure cooker or oven.If you don't have both,try it in a saucepan too.But that will take lot of time to cook. You can avoid tomatoes if you want.

Mutton Dakbangla :::

Dakbangla means rest-house in the forest. This Dish used to be prepared when people goes for picnic or hunting and in camping.There they don't have time for marination. I have come across this recipe in one of great communities of Orkut and given by Kaushik. I tried couple of times for parties and Sunday lunch as it doesn't need any preparation and saves lot of time. Every time it was hit . Here is the my version of this dish.

Ingredients:
2lb Goat/Lamb (approx 1 kg),
1 medium size onion,
5-7 nos green chillies cut lengthwise,
1/2 cup yogurt,
1/2 black pepper powder,
1 tsp ginger & garlic paste each,
1/2 tsp garam masala powder,
2" cinnamon stick,
4 cloves,
2 nos. Cardamon,
2 bay leaves,
1 tsp turmeric powder,
2 tsp cumin powder,
1 tsp coriander powder,
1 or 2 tsp red chilly powder,
coriander leaves for garnishing,
a pinch of sugar for caramelizing,
salt as per taste,
oil.

Method::
1. Wash and clean properly Goat/Lamb pieces and Keep aside after draining excess water.
2. Make a smooth paste of 3 green chilies and onion and Keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a deep saucepan, add sugar and let it dissolve in oil.
4. Add bay leaves,cardamon,cloves and cinnamon and saute for half a minute.
5. Now add green chillies and onion paste and fry until it becomes translucent.
6. Add ginger & garlic paste and saute for a minute on medium flame.
7. Now add turmeric powder,red chilly powder and yogurt and stir fry continuously for a min.
8. Now goat/lamb pieces and rest of the green chilies and fry on high flame .
9. Add black pepper powder,cumin & coriander powder and sprinkle little water and saute for
some time until oil separates.
10. Now add salt and 3 cups of water and cover the saucepan with a lid and let it cook.
11. After 15-20 mins or when it is cooked nicely,sprinkle garam masala & coriander leaves and cover the saucepan until you serve. 
I always use pressure cooker for this dish for fast cooking and you can use this recipe for chicken too. But don't use pressure cooker for chicken if you are in USA or UK. Instead of yogurt you can raw papaya pieces while cooking or lemon juice too.

Keema Fry :::

Keema or Minced(ground) fry is very common recipe in India.You can use chicken,goat or lamb anything of your choice.I have learned this recipe from one Bengali cookbook to use as stuffing's for Singaras.I modified it a little bit as south Indian style. I serve as side dishes for Biriyani ,Naan or porota or sometimes with hot plain rice.

Ingredients :::
1.5 / 2 lbs keema,
1 big size onion,finely chopped,
5-6 green chillies ,chopped,
2 tsp ginger & garlic paste each,
1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds,
5-6 curry leaves,
1 dry red chilli ,
1/2 turmeric powder,
1/2 tsp cumin & coriander powder each,
1/4 cup tamarind pulp(soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze to take out pulp)
1/4 tsp gorom masala,
coriander leaves for garnishing,
salt ,
oil to fry.

Method:::
1. Wash & drain keema nicely. Try to drain excess water properly.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan or pressure cooker,add cumin seeds,curry leaves, whole red chilli and saute for half a minute.
3. Now add chopped onion,green chillies and saute for another half a minute.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir nicely until onion turns light brownish in color.
5. Add turmeric powder,cumin-coriander powder,red chilli powder and sprinkle little water and let ti cook covered until oil separates .
6. Now add keema and stir continuously to avoid burning.If needed sprinkle little water too.
7. Now add salt and let it cook in pressure cooker for three whistles.
8. Once done,open the pressure cooker and keep on stirring to fry keema until excess water goes off on high flame.
9. Sprinkle gorom masala and coriander leaves on it and fry for some more minutes.Serve hot and you can garnish with fresh coriander leaves too.

If you are not using pressure cooker ,then from step 6 sprinkle little more water and cover the pan and let it cook for 20-22 mins. Keep on checking whether you have to add little more water for cooking to avoid burning.At last,keema will taste better if you fry nicely .