Mashkaliya: A Lucknowi Recipe for Mutton with Pepper & Green Gram

Laraib Fatima Warsi shares her family’s recipe for a delicious winter treat, mashkaliya. As these unique recipes slowly disappear, Laraib embarks on a journey to preserve, document and revive them. Read the other recipes, here and here.

Mashkaliya is urad dal or green gram cooked with mutton. It is a winter staple; the mutton and green gram are cooked with black pepper and a blend of other freshly ground spices that always lead to a rush of memories for me. Winter vacations were when the extended family lived together under one roof, and my mother and aunts cooked mashkaliya for lunch. A dastarkhwan was spread out in the courtyard and we couldn’t wait for the piping hot mashkaliya to be served with white rice and an accompanying green chilli chutney. 

Recipe for Mashkaliya 

Ingredients

500 g mutton 
3 sliced onions
Ginger-garlic paste, to taste
250 g green gram (green urad dal)
2 bay leaves
2 black cardamom
1 cinnamon
1 small tbsp – cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala 
Mustard oil, to taste 
Salt, to taste 

Method
In a pan, heat mustard oil until smoking, then lower the flame and add the bay leaf cardamom, cinnamon and sliced onions. When the onions turn pink, add the ginger garlic paste, saute, and then the mutton and salt. Allow it to braise for 10 minutes.
Now add turmeric, chilli powder and the green gram with two green chillies.
Fry for 5 minutes and then add 2.5 cups of water, close the pan and allow to cook for at least 40 minutes.
Allow the dal and mutton cook until tender. 
Finally, add a pinch of garam masala and some fresh coriander to garnish.

Laraib Fatima Warsi is an independent journalist who is fascinated by people, facts and events. She hopes to change the world, one word at a time. 

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