HARYALI LAMB CHOPS - RELOADED

Summer is the time to crank up the grill , every opportunity you get. Be it outside or be it in the kitchen. The time to OD on all the Kebabs and all that your heart has been craving for. And for us, we like to keep making our favorites. While everyone might veer towards the ever popular Tandoori Chicken, we tend to make fresh batches of HARYALI LAMB CHOPS. We had already made it twice, at two different Barbecues, we had with friends, at the locals park. But our heart kept craving for more. So we brought out our indoor grill, and set grilling one evening.

The temperature of the indoor grill was set at 350F and we checked the done-ness of the meat with a meat thermometer , till it read Medium rare. Nothing tastes worse than over cooked meat. And after you have pulled out your meat from the heat, make sure you let it rest for around 10 minutes, or else the juices will run out and the meat will be super dry. No one wants dry meat,do they. I know I don't.

If you want to re-create the HARYALI LAMB CHOPS, here goes the Recipe Post:
http://journotalk.blogspot.com/2015/05/haryali-lamb-chops.html 

We also grilled up some herb crusted potatoes and some sweet Italian sausages to complete our plate of Grilled dinner.

Go ahead, crank up your grill and make yourself some Haryali Lamb Chops. And don't forget to pour yourself a large mug of beer.

Bon Appetit !!

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS POST : 

HARYALI LAMB CHOPS: http://journotalk.blogspot.com/2015/05/haryali-lamb-chops.html

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HARYALI LAMB CHOPS

If you live in KC,then you will have a fascination with all things Barbecue. Its the same with us. we just look for an excuse to either fill our plates with some good local barbecue, or better still, grill it ourselves. Summer is almost here and that means its time to crank up the grill. We have had a few not so cold weekends so far in KC, and did I mention we have already managed to go ahead with two full on Barbecue Sessions at the local park. Yes, you're right,this winter has been pretty long for us.

The Man created one of his signature Grilling Specialities on both occasions on Public Demand. The first time we grilled it, this season, it was so good that we didn't even have a picture of the final product. No one could wait for the picture to be taken,before they lapped it all up within the shortest span possible. So when a friend recently asked me from the Smoky Green Picture as to what it was, and if there was a recipe on the blog, I knew it was time to pen it down. So here it goes Payel for you.

Lamb Chops usually need a great marination,as they can have an overbearing aroma at times. The man decided to go the HARYALI route but with a  twist. He created the Marinade with a  Healthy touch to it. Why you might ask? Well, for one, he likes to switch up classic recipes and secondly he had opted for Triple Cut Lamb Chops. So in order to balance out the extra large helpings of meat, he made the marinade healthier.

Haryali Kebabs generally refer to a marinade made of Cilantro, Mint and Yogurt . Its one of the iconic Kebab recipes of India and can be tried with mostly all kinds of meat. Its most commonly used with Chicken as my friend Garbita had done at a past Barbecue session. Debashish, my husband, added Spinach, yes you heard that right, to the marinade. Mom would be really happy. Not only are we eating our eating, we are adding our Greens to it. And a dash of Lemon Grass. He stuck to the green theme of HARYALI KEBABS and added two different green elements. The Spinach added more body to the marinade and the Lemon grass was a great compliment to the Mint and Cilantro. the yogurt works a great meat tenderizer. If you're dealing with lamb and you want to marinate it for at least 24 hours. When the meat hits the grill, and if its not tenderized through out with the marinade properly, then the exterior can get charred while the interior can remain raw.

So go ahead and give these HARYALI LAMB CHOPS a try. If you don't want to grill them, then you can bake them ib your oven at 350F till they are cooked through.

HARYALI LAMB CHOPS: 

Ingredients: 
Spinach : 1 lb
Lamb Chops: 2 lbs
Yogurt: 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves: A small Bunch
Cilantro: Two large bunches
Lemon Grass Paste: 2 oz
Salt: To taste

Procedure: 

Make a paste of the items except the lamb in a blender.

Trim off excess fat from the chops.

Marinate the Lamb Chops for at least 24 hours.

Grill them till they are cooked through.

Bon Appetit !!!

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The Boys Met The Grill

Who doesn't like Grilling and who doesn't like Bobby Flay ! Given the fact that I am such a huge fan of both,my mind would probably mumble, not many. No wonder that I still watch the re-runs of  'Boy meets Grill' every Summer. And which Girl does not like a Boy Who Loves to Grill ?? !!! So when the local boys tried to be like Bobby for a day, it was a day of  feasting for sure. Just think of a protein, and before you even suggest it, you see, that its already hit the grill. Now that's what a proper day off from the kitchen, should always be like !!! The boys had been planning this Grilling Session for quite a long time, but the Weather Gods had been playing hooky.A cold wave, sudden thunderstorms, too many postponed dates, ultimately led to a not too warm Saturday,where it was all about Grilling. The reservations at a local park were finally finalized, albeit a few months late.

The date was fixed, the menu was all inclusive, and the Boys were ready to take over the Park. 

The dancing flames, had to give way to a steadier glow. Did I hear Hubby mumbling,: "Come on Baby, Light my Fire!" Maybe it was just my hungry stomach leading my brain to Wonderland. Whenever the man hits the grill, its one delicious plate or the other. So my mind, my tummy, my senses were all playing tricks with me. 

So what hit the grill first: Chicken ! But the Poultry talk can wait, for now ! I cannot help, but  get a bit biased  and partial here. The first mention has to be of the star of the show. 

It was no wonder that the first course that Hubby grilled was simply Orgasmic. Now that was not my imagination, and my love struck mind, but the unanimous opinion of the entire party.Had there been more bacon and marinade left, then I am sure, we would have tried to haul up some shrimps from Shawnee Mission Lake itself, and grill some more. 

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp by Debashish !  

Succulent Gulf Shrimps which had been marinated in hubby's special marinade of ginger paste, lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika and cayenne pepper and salt. After an overnight marination, bacon was wrapped around the shrimps and onto the skewers they went. Red bell pepper and red onion completed the party and added a nice texture at every bite. The Shrimp had already become like a Ceviche in the marinade, and magic happened when it hit the grill. As the shrimps started getting a char, the bacon started to caramelise and melt into the shrimp almost. Orgasm it was surely, of the bacon and the shrimp !! No wonder, people polished it off so quick ! 

The man knows what he is doing, and if its the grill, than he knows it a bit better than most others. The second course from my boy was Pork Chops with Red Wine, Garlic and Sea Salt ! 

Every meal gets better with some piggy goodness, doesn't it ! 

The way we had been gorging, we were already full, but there were three more courses left . Not to forget a few trays of Garden Salad and quite a lot of Mashed Potatoes with French Onion Gravy. Well, we had the whole to us, and even half the night. So there was enough time, to savor it all. 

Coming back to the Poultry talk, it was decided that the Tandoori Chicken drum sticks by Subhabrata would be the ones, which would hit the grill first. 

We, Desis, have to have our Tandooris and our Tikkas, if there's a grill around. The drumsticks was juicy, well cooked, and the right desi kick to the barbecue. The mint sauce and the garden salad completed the plate. Before I knew it, I was already reaching for the second drumstick. Well, I hope I did not polish off someone else's portion. 

Next to follow was Filet Mignon by Subhajyoti !  

The fact that dry rubs and barbecue sauces do marry well,when done the right way, was proven by these medium rare filet mignons, wrapped in bacon. It was the perfect blend of Memphis and Kansas City style of barbecue.

Last but not the least, were the Haryali Kebabs By Garbita And Aryadeep! Juicy and tender chicken kebabs marinated in Yoghurt, Mint and Coriander paste, salt and green chili paste. While we(read: the other girls) had steered clear of the grilling chores, she had prepped the kebabs for her boy to grill. Hence could not but help, give her the due credit for the Kebabs ! She did a great job !!

Now all this raving and ranting about such good food, has made me hungry again !! Have to convince the 

boys to meet the grill again soon. 

Bon Appetit !!

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GRILLED CHICKEN LIVER: MOCAMBO COMES HOME

For those who have grown up loving the food at a certain eatery, just off Park Street in Central Kokata, they will never forget the taste of a plate of Grilled Liver.The unmistakable taste of Mocambo. The cozy joint which serves up culinary legacies as if we are still in the days of the Raj.Every trip to Kolkata means at least one meal there.We usually kick start our evening with a dinner at Mocambo, and Grilled Liver is something we order always.I guess I have lost count on how much me and hubby have spent collectively in that eatery. But the place has its own charm. The food, the taste, the beer in the silvery mugs, the dim red lights over every table: the combo just never fails.

With our current Kolkata trip standing cancelled, I was not in the brightest of moods.All that I had so meticulously planned had been given the boot.Moreover I was having an apathy for the last few days, for the kitchen.It was just those days, when you just do not feel like cooking. So my Iron Chef decided to heal the situation in his signature style.He took over kitchen duties, and ensured that I do not crib much for the cancelled trip.He decided to cook and I decided to pick up my DSLR and capture it.He brought Mocambo home in Kansas City. Grilled Liver with mushrooms, onions,peas and loads of butter was enough to bring a beaming smile on my face. The way I polished off my plate was proof enough of the fact that the negativity had vanished from my system. The liver was grilled to perfection.The mushrooms had been hit with a dash of cayenne pepper, so whenever you bit into one, you had the right amount of heat in the dish.It was simply Kolkata served on a platter on a cold winter night out here in the Midwest. What could I want more?!

GRILLED LIVER: 
Ingredients: 
Chicken Liver: 1 lb
Ginger paste: 1 1/2 tbsp
Garlic paste: 1 1/2 tbsp
Red Wine Vinegar: 2 tbsp plus 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste:
Chicken Boulion: 1 1/2 tbsp
Butter: 1 stick
Peas: A handful
Onions: 1 medium sized one,cut in slivers
Button Mushrooms: 6-8,cut in chunks
Cayenne Pepper: 1 tsp

Procedure: 
Marinate the cleaned chicken liver with vinegar and ginger-garlic paste and chicken bouillon for an hour. As Andrew Zimmern would say,the marination ensures that the liver does not have a 'gamey flavour,' to it.

Add butter to the grill/skillet and then add the onion slivers and the marinated liver. Discard the residual liquid.

Brown the liver properly on the grill. You have to be careful so that they do not get charred.Add in some red wine vinegar and salt and keep searing.

Create a space in one corner of the grill, and throw in the mushrooms. Season them with salt and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Add in the peas to the party. We believe in going green to a  certain extent after all.

Some more butter.

Ensure that everything is well integrated. Check for seasoning and serve hot.

Next time you are missing eating out at Mocambo, you know what will set the mood at home.

Bon Appetit!!

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