Riding a bicycle is a completely different adventure than traveling on flat terrain. A few hours away from the plains of Jammu airport is the world away music valley-Patnitop region. Walking in the foothills of the Himalayas may have created some killer Instagram posts, but let me tell you, it was a workout for my legs! After a long day, I returned to Skyview by Empyrean, my relaxing weekend getaway, with a huge appetite. Fortunately, the culinary team had a delicious surprise waiting for me.
Not far from Udhampur, Sangit Valley boasts its own culinary gems. Jammu often takes a backseat to the famous dishes of Kashmir, but one dish has stolen the spotlight: the sour meat of the Dogra community. Thanks to the growing interest in regional cuisine in our post-pandemic world, this unique dish has gained a fanbase, especially on cold mountain days. And the view from Skyview’s Banana Leaf Restaurant by Empyrean made for the perfect backdrop as I enjoyed it.
According to the culinary team (see recipe), it is the hot charcoal smoking technique that gives this dish its one-of-a-kind flavor. But sour meat isn’t just about smoky goodness. The recipe has two standout steps—finishing it with dry mango powder and pomegranate seeds and garnishing it with fresh coriander and green chilies—that create a burst of flavor with every bite.
The secret to nailing this dish is smoking those tender mutton pieces with hot coals soaked in desi ghee. This happens both during and after cooking. The dish consists of a mixture of ground and whole spices, red onions, special Kashmiri spices, and mutton cooked in mustard oil. The result? The meat is so tender it practically melts in your mouth! While you can pair it with rice or roti, in the Jammu region, it is often served with Dogri Ghur, a traditional welcome dish for brides or special guests. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly complicated smoking process; Sauerkraut is surprisingly easy to make and totally worth the effort for its mouth-watering tangy and smoky flavors.
Sour Meat Recipe | How to make sour meat
Recipe courtesy – Skyview by Empyrean
Material
- Mutton: 500 grams
- Onion (Fried): 250 gms
- Ginger garlic paste: 15 grams
- Turmeric powder: 5 grams
- Kasuri Methi: 20 grams
- Red Chilli Powder: 5 gms
- Green Chillies : 4 nos
- Salt: To taste
- Amchur: 10 grams
- Fennel seed powder: 15 grams
- Mustard oil: 60 ml
- Charcoal for smoking
For garam masala
- Cumin: 15 grams
- Coriander seeds: 10 grams
- Black cardamom: 2 nos
- Green cardamom: 2 nos
- Cloves: 5 nos
- Cinnamon Stick: 2 sticks
Method of making sour meat
- Roast cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a pan.
- Make a fresh garam masala powder by grinding the roasted seeds with black and green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
- Marinate the mutton with ginger garlic paste, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, garam masala, mustard oil and curd; Set aside for an hour.
- Heat the mustard oil in a heavy bottomed pan until smoking, add the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, then cook. Add onion and marinated mutton, followed by remaining spices and lemon juice; Cook a little.
- Add water and let the mutton cook until soft.
- After the meat is cooked, add the amchur and saunf (fennel) powder.
- Heat coals until red hot, place them in a small bowl and set them over the meat in the pan/cooker.
- Add a little desi ghee or mustard oil to the hot coals, and cover the pan with a lid for 1 minute.
- Garnish with coriander, fried onions and green chillies, then serve with steamed rice or roti.
(TagsToTranslate)Mutton Recipe