Princess Aaliya Sultana Babi, Balasinor
Lasaniya Kheema is basically a winter dish as the hara lassan is mostly available only during winters. This was generally a breakfast dish to be had with moong k bhune hue khichdi. People now freeze green garlic and so this dish can be made and relished for lunch or dinner, round the year. It hails from the royal kitchen of Darbar Saheb of Bantwa a Jagir of Junagadh and was passed on to the present Rajmata Saheba Begum Farhat Sultana Babi of Balasinor. The Darbar Saheb of Bantwa was her Nana or Maternal grandfather!
LASANIYA KHEEMA (MUTTON MINCE WITH GREEN GARLIC TOPPED WITH EGGS)
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg Mutton Mince
2 tbsp Oil
2 Onions, finely chopped
4 Tomatoes, made into a puree
2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cummin seed powder
2 tsp Red chilli powder
1 Lemon
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Clarified butter ( ghee )
Salt to taste
A bunch of Green Garlic, finely chopped
METHOD:
Fry the onions in the oil till light brown. Add the mincemeat and fry for a while. Add the ginger-garlic and lightly fry. Now add the coriander and cummin powder and also the tomato puree after some time along with the red chilli powder and let it cook till it is dry. Add one cup of water nd let it cook till the water has dried up and the mince is semi dry.
Transfer the contents into a baking dish and spread it evenly and then cover it with chopped garlic. Make four depressions in four corners and break the eggs on it. Make sure the egg yolk does not break.
Heat the clarified butter in a separate pan till it is piping hot and pour over the eggs and allow them to cook in the hot ghee. Then strain off the excess ghee if you are very health conscious or simply let it remain. Bake in a pre heated oven for 5- 10 mins just to make sure the eggs have been properly cooked and serve hot with a sprinkle of red chilli powder.
NOTE:
This is a very age-old recipe from the traditional royal kitchens of the Begum’s maternal grandfather’s family. It is a dish greatly savoured by the royal family especially during the winter months as that’s the time the green garlic is found in abundance. This is a much-loved dish by family and friends and the tourists at the Garden Palace Heritage Homestay, Balasinor and it was also featured in Farzana Contractor’s Upper Crust magazine. Celebrity chef Christian Bauer of Troika Fine dining experience from Kuala Lumpur also replicated this recipe for his show “Cooking for the Crown”, which was aired on Channel News Asia !!
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