Safed Maas

A rich culture, lots of colors, welcoming hearts and a tradition of great food are synonymous with Rajasthan. My father being in defense services and family staying in Rajasthan, growing up I had the privilege of spending a lot of time in Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jaipur or let’s just say enough to make me fall in love with Rajasthan forever. No guesses here, Rajasthan is my all time favorite holiday destination.

Rajasthan is known as the land of kings and rightly so with its colourful streets, magnificent history and flavoursome cuisine. I’m always ready to run to Rajasthan, doesn’t matter what part. A couple of years ago I went on a trip to Rajasthan with my husband and daughter to Jodhpur, Udaipur and Chanoud Garh. My previous visits, familiarity with Rajasthan and all the reading up and research I did about Chanoud Garh, nothing prepared us for the warmth, opulence, and grandeur that awaited us courtesy Thakurani Sahiba Marudhar Kanwar of Chanoud, Kuvrani Anchal Singh, and their family.

A hidden gem, the palatial fort of Chanoud is breathtaking and has an old world charm with modern amenities incorporated into it tastefully. A visit here is an opportunity to experience the Royal Rajputana era of the past with the residing family, taste authentic Rajasthani food and witness the most magical sunset over the salt pans amidst migratory birds. My words clearly don’t do justice to how mesmerizing Chanoud Garh truly is.

Thakurani Sahiba Marudhar Kanwar of Chanoud presides over her kitchen in person and ensures that culinary traditions are diligently followed. Thakurani Sahiba was kind enough to let me take away a few recipes from her kitchen. Besides Laal Maas and Junglee Maas, I also learnt how to cook Safed Maas. This rich creamy Safed Maas has a heavy Rajputana influence and is in contrast to the fiery Laal & Junglee Maas. Safed Maas is a luxurious meat dish incorporating dry fruits, curd and aromatic spices. It is sure to tantalise your taste buds. As explained by Kuvrani Anchal Singh, tomatoes being a rarity in Rajasthan, curd is used for it’s acidic flavour. Also there are quite a few Rajasthani dishes which are popular among the masses. However, every kitchen cooks the same dish differently, influenced by the availability of the local spices for e.g. Laal maas is cooked differently in Chanoud Garh than in a kitchen in a neighbouring village or city.

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The Safed maas recipe from Chanoud Garh has always turned out heavenly in my kitchen, maybe because of the magic of Chanoud. Today I’m sharing the magic of Chanoud with you in this recipe and with the hope that it brings to you as much joy as it brings to me.

Chanoud Garh is an experience that cant be missed, visit www.chanoudgarh.com for more details

Serves – 4 Time – 1 hour

Ingredients

1. Mutton – 1 kg
2. Curd/Yogurt – 2 cups
3. Onions chopped – 3 big size
4. Garlic chopped – ½ cup
5. Fennel seeds – 1 tbsp
6. Whole Dried Red Chillies – 2
7. Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp
8. Cashew Paste – 2 tbsp
9. Oil – 3 tbsp
10. Salt to taste

Method

1. Beat the curd well till no lumps
2. Coarsely grind coriander seeds
3. In a pressure cooker, Saute onions, garlic, fennel, coriander and dried chilies in oil
4. Onions should turn translucent, don’t let it brown
5. Add mutton at this stage. Fry it till its dry
6. Add curd, cashew paste & salt and fry for 2-3 mins
7. Close the lid and give it 3 whistles
8. Serve hot with roti/naan