'Kabargah Ta Tabaq Maz'

(E-Fried Pre-cooked Mutton Pieces) ( H-'Kabargah ya Tabaq Maz')

It is a gravy-less Fried Meat preparation, generally served as a last Meat Course by Kashmiri Pandits, and is very delicious.

Ingredients

1. About 2" x 4" oblong pieces of Mutton from Ribs with fatty layer and skin intact, and each piece with 2 or 3 Rib Bones. (25 to 30 pieces per kg.)	1 kg
2. 'Ghi'	250 gm
3. Curd	1 Cup
4. Red Kashrniri Chili Powder	2 tsps
5. Ginger Powder	1 tsp
6. Aniseed Powder	1 tsp
7. Turmeric	1 tsp
8. Asafoetida	a pinch
9. 'Garam Masala'	1 tsp
10. Salt	2 tsps
11. Milk	1/2 tea cup
12. Cloves	2 nos

Method of Cooking

1. In a 'Patila', of about 3 litres capacity, pour 1/2 litre of water, and the l/2 cup of Milk. Add Turmeric, Ginger and Aniseed Powders along with Cloves, a tsp salt and the Asafoetida. Stir and place the Meat pieces in the 'Patila', and boil on a medium flame. After l/2 hour or so, when the Meat becomes tender, and almost all water gets absorbed and evaporated, remove the 'Patila' from the stove and let it cool down to some exetent.

2. In a bowl, add to the Curd, the Chili Powder, 'Garam Masala', and a tea spoon of Salt, and make a batter of these by beating with a spoon, or by means of a hand churner (H-'Biloni').

3. Take out the cooked Meat pieces from the little gravy left, which, after straining, can be used for some soup or mixed with the above batter. Keep aside the Meat pieces.

4. Heat the 'Ghi', in a 'Kadahi', on slow fire and deep fry the Meat pieces on by one, after dipping each in the prepared batter. Fried brown, these 'Kabargah' pieces are ready to be served piping hot.

'Tabaq Maz' varies from 'Kabargah', because of its last process of cooking. Instead of deep trying in 'Ghi', as in case of 'Kabargah', in this case, the cooked and battered pieces of cooked Meat, are placed in baked clay plates, called 'Tabaqs' or 'Tabchi' in Kashmiri, after smearing 'Ghi' inside the plates. Covering, each plate with another 'Tabaq', the rims are sealed with kneaded wheat flour dough. These 'Tabaqs' are then placed on a slow fire of live charcoals or smokeless burning cow-dung cakes to that the Meat pieces get sauteed, in an hour or so, to a deep brown colour. Some live coals are also placed on the top of these 'Tabaqs'. This slow steam cooking of Meat getting grilled in earthenware plates, imparts a special flavour and aroma to the Dish.

Remember that this Dish should always be served steaming hot.

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