Flavourful Kaleji Handi

 

Eid Delights: Flavourful Kaleji Handi Unveiled

Eid-ul-Fitr is a great holiday with an essence to it—essentially, that of togetherness, prayers, and feasting. There is one dish from Pakistani cuisine that tops the list during this celebration, and that is Kaleji Handi. The magical taste of sixty percent lies in slow cooking within a handi, a traditional clay pot, instilling a superb smoky flavour and soft texture into the food.

Here's how you can bring the flavours of Eid ul Adha to your kitchen with this delightful Kaleji Handi recipe:

Ingredients:

• ½ kg mutton or beef liver, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces

• ½ cup ghee or cooking oil

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 inch piece ginger, grated

• 2-3 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 1 ½ tsp red chili powder-adjust to taste

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp garam masala powder

• Salt to taste

• 1 green chili, slit (optional)

• Handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

• 1 cup water or more as needed

 

Instructions:

 Prepare the Liver

Wash the liver well and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the liver into bite-sized chunks and set aside.

Heating the Handi

Heat ghee or oil in a handi or any heavy-bottomed vessel over medium heat. Once hot, add sliced onions and fry them till golden brown in color.

Spice Up the Base

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. After a minute, until fragrant, add red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and turmeric powder. Mix well, and cook for another minute, letting the spices release their fragrance.

Introduce the Tomatoes

Add chopped tomatoes and let them cook until they become soft and start letting out juices. This forms the base of the gravy.

Simmering the Star

Add the prepared liver keema pieces and mix them properly to coat with the masala. Season with salt and add a green chilly for some heat. Pour in 1 cup of water, filling it almost to where the liver is submerged.

Handi Magic:

Cover the hand high, and let the kaleji simmer over very low heat for about 20-25 minutes or until the liver is cooked and tender. Keep stirring occasionally for the mixture not to burn. Take off some gravy if too thick; add a little water if desired.

Finishing Touches

Once the liver, keema, is cooked, turn off the heat and sprinkle over the garam masala powder for added flavour. Finally, it should be garnished with chopped green coriander leaves and served piping hot with roti, naan, or even rice.

Important Tips!

• To remove the bitterness from liver, keema, soak it in milk or water with a little lemon juice squeezed in for 30 minutes before cooking.

• Avoid overcooking of the liver since this will make it tough and rubbery. For better texture, it should are slightly pink at the core.

• You can add a tablespoon of tomato paste or yogurt in addition to the tomatoes to increase the thickness of the gravy further.

• The red chili powder should be added according to your choice of the spicy level in your curry.

• Finally, other vegetables—like chopped green peppers or sliced onions—can also be used to add flavour and texture.

Basically, the strains of Kaleji Handi are so vast that this dish would be unforgettable in Eid ul Adha with its robust flavours and melt-in-your-mouth texture. So, fire up your handi and relish this Pakistani culinary gem with your loved ones

PS:

This all written in english (uk). Urdu version will be posted soon.

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