Gosht Beliram
Lamb cooked in warming spices Gosht meaning red meat and Beliram being the famous historical head chef in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s kitchen, was renowned for being the best cook of that time. And who was Maharaja Ranjit Singh? Popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab – the lion of Punjab – he was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire ruling the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. Did you know he fought his first battle at the tender age of 10?! It’s been said that the Maharaja was so happy with the dish, he himself named it ‘Gosht Beliram’ so that his name would always be remembered through his recipe. Meanwhile, in 1970’s Southall, my lovely Dad who hailed from generations of a farming background in the Punjab, was now working as a labourer. He started working in a rubber factory and then moved on to work for BEA – British European Airways which merged with BOAC – British Overseas Airways Corporation – to form what we now know as British Airways. My mother in law to this day still calls it BOC – as she also worked there for many years. Does anyone else have a connection to the airline? So Dad ate simple meals consisting of vegetarian dishes during the week but come the weekend and he was ready to eat like a King – and his Queen, my Mum would make this delicious lamb curry for the whole family. I hope you will enjoy it as much as Maharaja Ranjit Singh and my kind, humble, loving Dad did. Ingredients – Serves 6 For the marinade – 1 kilo of lamb leg – cleaned and cut into pieces – ask the butcher to throw the bone in too 3 heaped tbsp of yogurt 2 heaped tbsp chopped ginger 2 heaped tbsp chopped garlic Green chillies to taste 1 heaped tsp turmeric 1 heaped tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) Salt to taste 2 tsp kashmiri chilli 2 tsp garam masala 1 cup fried onions – fry 2 sliced red onions in a little oil until they caramelise, then lay out on a tray and dehydrate in the oven on a low heat – alternatively you can use the air-fryer for this. Or buy ready-made from any good Indian grocer. For the sauce – 1 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp cooking oil 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves torn into pieces 4 green cardamom 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds 2 large onions diced finely 300g plum tomatoes – pureed in a blender or mashed 2 large potatoes – cubed and par-boiled – this is optional A handful of chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Black Cardamom – Kali Elaichi
Black Cardamom has a very woody, and intense aroma and used in Masala Cha in many Punjabi homes. It has a very strong taste compared to the sweet taste of the Green Cardamom. I also use it when cooking red meat as the intense flavour works really well with a Lamb or Mince dish. It is also a key element of the garam masala – remove the seeds from the pods before roasting them – the flavour will intensify further. The seeds are best stored in their pods. You can find me on all social media channels under The Authentic Punjabee. Facebook / Instagram / Tiktok / Youtube
Turmeric – Haldi
Turmeric (pronounced ‘TuRRmeric’ and not Tumeric is a beautiful saffron coloured spice derived from the Turmeric plant which is from the ginger family. The plant is very similar in looks to fresh ginger too. This spice has many benefits including anti-inflammatory properties which is one of the reasons we use it in Indian cooking – it aids the body in digesting the numerous spices and ingredients that go into a dish. Haldi Dudh (Milk with Turmeric) is also a great drink which people drink for its healing properties – and a good pick me up on days when you are feeling a little under the weather. You can find me on all social media channels under The Authentic Punjabee. Facebook / Instagram / Tiktok / Youtube
Hing – Asafoetida
Asafoetida has a very pungent odour but in cooked dishes it delivers a smooth flavour that is similar to onion. The odour dissipates during the cooking process. It is usually added at the beginning of a Tadka allow it to sizzle in the ghee/oil before adding other ingredients. It is known for its digestive properties, and used a lot in Dals, lentil and pulse based dishes, or other dishes that may build-up gas in the stomach. You will find it show up in many of my recipes too. It is a personal choice to use it, as the the odour puts people off from using it. You can find me on all social media channels under The Authentic Punjabee. Facebook / Instagram / Tiktok / Youtube