"Tabak Maaz" - A Kashmiri Delicacy of Mutton Ribs/Chops

This recipe is from Kashmir, in India, and is a component of the formal grand feast called Wazwan. Wazwan is a 36-course rich and delicious meal, the trend of which started with the Wazas (the master chefs of Kashmir and the descendants of the cooks who migrated from Samarkand to Kashmir in the 15th century). Wazwan consists of mostly non-vegetarian dishes.

I first ate this dish in a house boat in Kashmir when I was about 12 years, and loved it. From then on, whenever we traveled or dined out, if this dish was on their menu I always ordered it.

But none was as delicious as the one I had tasted in Kashmir.

However recently there was a "Kashmiri Food Festival" in one of the restaurants in Bangalore and lo! this dish was part of the lovely spread.

With a little bit of research and trials, I was almost able to recreate this amazing dish.

And now its time to share this with you!

Serves 3

Ingredients:

Mutton ribs/Lam chops - 1/2 kg

Group 1

Thick curds - 1/2 cup

Cumin or Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Coriander or Dhania powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Black cardamom - 2

Cloves - 2

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Onion - 2 medium sized - grated 

Salt - to taste

Group 2

Ghee - 4 tbsp

Onion - 1 - sliced thinly

Green chillies - 2

Method:

Mix all the ingredients under the heading Group 1 along with the mutton ribs and 1/4 cup water and cook in pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Remove from heat and when pressure drops remove the mutton pieces with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Pour the liquid into a separate vessel and strain and keep aside. Squeeze out all liquid from the contents to get maximum flavor. Keep aside.

Now start using ingredients from Group 2.

Keep the cooker on heat to remove any water content.

Add the ghee and fry the sliced onions till golden. Make a paste out of the fried onions and the green chillies and keep aside.

In the same cooker in which the onions were fried, fry the lamb chops/mutton ribs on high flame for 4-5 minutes till they get a brown color.

Now reduce the heat, add the onion green chilly paste and the strained liquid and pressure cook for about 7-8 minutes.

Remove from fire and let the pressure drop by itself. If gravy remains dry the gravy by keeping the cooker open on medium heat. Mix occasionally, the gravy will get thick and stick to the ribs in about 5-7 minutes.

Serve hot.