Nischay Kaul shared an authentic Kashmiri recipe for Rogan Josh with The Tezzy Files, and today he is back with yet another scrumptious treat from the Northern-most tip of India; Kabargah.

Kabargah is a traditional Kashmiri preparation of meat ribs. Ribs of young lamb or goat is cooked in a special blend of milk and spices, and then fried in ghee (clarified butter).

For Kashmiris, every celebration revolves around food. It is no wonder that their dishes are tediously slow-cooked with lots of love and patience. Kabargah makes a regular appearance in a celebratory Kashmiri meal, and is an ideal appetizer for meat-lovers.

Perfectly cooked Kabargah is an art form that has been passed down generations. It should be succulently tender on the inside, soft from the milk and aromatically spiced, while the outside should be crisp and beautifully golden brown.

Nischay is a Kashmiri with a strong passion for cooking. Try out his family recipe for Kabargah, and impress your dinner guests with an authentic taste of Kashmir from your kitchen!

Kabargah Recipe (Kashmiri Spiced Mutton Ribs)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Mutton Ribs
• 300 ml Milk, preferably double-cream
• 4 Cloves
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1 inch cinnamon, crushed
• 6 Small Cardamoms, crushed
• 4 Big Cardamoms, crushed
• 2 tablespoons Besan (gram flour)
• 250 grams Yoghurt
• ½ teaspoon Ginger powder
• ½ teaspoon Garam Masala powder
• ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
• Ghee for frying (can be substituted with cooking oil)
• Salt to taste

Meat cut: The best cut for Kabargah is the chest piece, cut along a pair of ribs (as you can see in the image).

For the marinade:

• Take 2 tablespoons Besan, and whisk it into 250 grams yogurt.
• Add ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp cumin powder and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
• Mix well and set aside.

Method:

• Pour milk into a heavy bottom kadhai (the traditional Indian version of a wok).
• Add the mutton pieces and the whole spices (cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamoms and cloves).
• Add the ginger powder and salt.
• Cook on medium flame until the milk dries completely, and the mutton starts to stick to the pan. You will notice that the meat will have softened by now.

Nishay’s tip: do not shortcut on this crucial step, as this will form the initial coating on the meat.

• Let the mutton sit in the kadhai, and remove after it has cooled down.
• Now coat each cooked piece of the meat with the marinade, and deep fry in ghee until it turns dark brown, and has a crisp outer coating.

Kabargah, Kashmir’s favorite meaty appetizer, is now ready for serving!