Bengla Beef Cabernet

I have started to experiment with different cooking styles and techniques. I love french food and Beef Bourguignon is one of my favorites. Wine never hurt any food so I decided to add a little left over cabernet and came up with this recipe. It turned out so well, that I have to share.

Ingredients

2 tbsp cooking oil
2 pounds beef, cubed to size 1/2 inch per side
2 medium shallots, finely sliced (onions would do too)
1 or 2 fresh chilies ( or your choice for heat)
2 tsps of crushed garlic (or powder)
2 tsps of crushed ginger (or powder)
1 tbsp of cumin powder
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1 cup of a red wine
1/2 cup milk
1 large carrot, cut into large chunks


Steps
Preheat the oven to around 200 degrees Celsius
Heat the oil in a cooking point over medium heat
When hot, add in the sliced shallots and stir fry until they are almost caramelized
Add in the cubed beef and stir fry until the beef starts to get browned.
Add in the ginger and garlic and stir fry for 2-3 minutes
Add in the turmeric, cumin and coriander and stir fry an additional 2-3 minutes
Pour in the wine, making sure you use the liquid to deglaze the bottom of the pot
Cook, stirring, occassionally for 4-5 minutes
Pour in the milk and cook another 4-5 minutes
Stir in the salt, pepper and carrot chunks
Cover the pot with a lid and bake covered in the oven for 1 to 1.5 hours. Preferably keep the lid sealed with foil but do check on it every 1/2 hour to make sure the liquid has not evaporated completely. Add 1/2 cup water if it looks too dry.

Kosha Mangsho or Sauteed Mutton

I was scrounging through the frozen food section of our local sub-continental grocery in search of fish (after all, I am Bengali) and in between the Papda and Ilish I saw this package of mutton and child hood memories flooded bacl. Kosha Mangsho was one of my favorite food growing up. So much so that when my mother was cooking this in the kitchen, I would pilfer some pieces even when not quite tender. I would wrap it in some left over “ruti” (flour tortilla) from breakfast and chew away.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of mutton (or lamb, or beef), cubed
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 coriander powder
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 green chillies, chopped t slit in halves
• 2 slim green chillies
• 1/2 inch ginger root, peeled and grated (or, 1 tsp of ginger powder)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (or, 2 tsp garlic powder)
• 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tsp garam masala

Steps

1. Mix the meat with the next 12 ingredients and marinade for a couple of hours
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan
3. When hot, add the meat and marinade
4. Stir fry for 15-20 minutes (this is called koshano in Bangla)
5. Add the hot water and cook covered over medium heat for about an hour. Stir occasionally to prevent the spices from sticking to the bottom of the pan
6. When the water is about to dry up, add the garam masalla
7. Cook until the oil rises to the top

This recipe is great with parathas and rutis.