ShoreSahib's Lucknowi Zafrani Qorma

Goat Meat: 2 Lbs

Red Onions: One large finely sliced length wise

Plain Yogurt: One Cup Whisked

Extra Virgin Olive oil: One Cup. My grandmother used to make this Qorma on special occasions and would always use Pure Desi Ghee/Clarified Butter. I just use olive oil because its healthier.

Garlic: Chopped 2 tablespoons

Almonds raw: Peeled half cup blanched

Saffron: two pinches

Spice Mixture: for gravy

Red Chilli Pepper: One tablespoon

Zeera: Half Tablespoon

Salt: to taste

Grind the following spices in Coffee Grinder.

Black Cardamom: 6 pods: crack open and remove seeds to grind.

Green Cardamom: 4 pods

Cinnamon Stick: 1

Bay Leaf: Tez Paat: 3 leaves

Cloves: 3

Black Peppercorns: 14 or so

Black Cumin, or Kala Zeera: One teaspoon

Spices for Fragrance/Khushboo:
One cracked dried peel of Nutmeg/Jaiphal
A teaspoon of Mace/ Javitri

Grind the following spices in hand spice grinder or coffee grinder.

Method:

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and fry the sliced onions until golden brown.

Remove from oil, and spread on a large tray with papertowel to dry.

In the remaining oil, add the pieces of Goat meat. Fry on Medium high heat until meat chunks brown on all sides.

Then add the spice mixture for gravy and the chopped garlic.

Fry on medium low heat until spices release aroma. Then add the cup of whisked plain and yogurt and keep frying on high heat until yogurt disappears. At this point, add 4 cups of water to the pressure cooker and cover with lid and let cook until whistle starts going off.

At this time, lower the heat to medium and let the pressure cooker whistle for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, turn off burner and place pressure cooker under cool running water in sink to cool.

When sufficiently cooled, open the lid when safe to do so.

Then use your hands to rub together the golden brown sliced fried onions and mush them. Originally, I saw my grandmother using a granite Haavan Dasta or a manual spice grinder to Kootofy the onions, but I just use my hands.


Add this onion mush to the Qorma gravy, and cover with regular pot lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
Then soak the two pinches of Saffron/Zafran/Kesar in a 3 or four tablespoons warm water.

After the qorma has simmered for ten minutes, put the contents of the saffron water cup into the pot.

At this time also add a pinch of the fragrance spices (jaiphal/Javitri) Nutmeg/Mace into the pot.
At this time also add the blanched almonds.

Simmer on low heat covered for another ten minutes.

This Qorma was originally served in my Dadi Ammi's household with Laal Roti. I don't know how to make Laal Roti so, I usually serve it with home made Whole Wheat Naan with Sesame seeds.

This Qorma is exceptionally fragrant, and very delicious.