NAAN KHALIA/ KHALIYA / QALIA

Today I am in a mood for some traditional and historic recipe, yes you heard it right. Today I am going to share the recipe of Kalia or Qalia which is nothing but a mutton masaledar gravy. Naan Qalia of Aurangabad is meltingly tender mutton dish which is satisfying rich and is prepared by slow cooking meat with the mix of spices and oil.  This dish is unique to Aurangabad and is a tradition of Aurangabad since Mughal era. It is a concoction of mutton and a variety of spices. Aurangabad and Kolhapur are two places in Maharashtra which boast of a rich food heritage. Coming back to the history about Aurangabadi Naan Qalia, this Qalia is a thick gravy which was prepared with mutton, oil and amalgamation of various spices slowly simmered in a huge cauldron called Degh/ Degchi. The qalia is a rich dish and once prepared it has a top layer of oil / ghee called Tari, it is customary for people to request for the oil to be drunk in smaller portions. I am sure anyone who likes pani-puri know the sentiments..!!  This dish is currently available at very selective places in Aurangabad and heard about some muslim restaurants are serving this dish. This dish was introduced first by Mohammad Bin Tuglaq who shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad [present day Maharashtra]. He wanted to exercise better control over the fertile Deccan plains. Unfortunately no buses and trains are there that time and people were exhausted   and starving, so he set up halting camps at every 2 mile distance . It was here that the royal Bawarchis [cook]  invented the recipe of Naan Qalia that could serve the grand army.  With the idea of mass feeding and preservation of food this indigenious  recipe was developed. This is basically served with the fluffy Golden Naan and the golden colour is because of smearing  of turmeric water before being baked in the furnace. They are very different from the modern day Naan which are available at most restaurants and dhabas. They are prepared in an open clay oven, which is mounted in a hole in the ground. Mohammad Tuglaq then left Daulatabad but soldiers and its families supported the dish and carried the tradition till date. It is customary at every muslim wedding to serve this dish in Aurangabad and if you don not then you face the disgust of the guests. The recipe and information is taken from google only.

INGREDIENTS:

500 gms of Mutton pieces, boneless and with bones

2 big Onions, very finely sliced

5-6 tablespoon Raw Mustard Oil
1-2 tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

Salt as needed

1-2 tablespoon Ghee

9-10 Green Cardamom

Chopped Coriander for garnishing

Masala to be ground:

2 Onions, finely sliced

30 gm Garlic

2 tablespoon Coriander Powder

1 tablespoon Turmeric Powder

10-12 Dry Red Chillies

METHOD:

STEP 1 – First wash the mutton pieces under tap water and keep it aside to drain excess water from it.

STEP 2 - Take all the ingredients under title “Masala to be ground” in a mixer grinder pot

and blend it.

STEP 3 – If not working add 2-3 tablespoon water in it which helps to grind the masala. Make a fine and smooth paste with it and keep aside.

STEP 4 - Add enough raw mustard oil in a pan. Heat it to its smoking point. Once smoky, turn off the flame and let it rest till the smoke vanish.[see notes]

STEP 5 – Now the oil stops smoke coming from it and cooled down slightly. Put it again on the flame and heat it.

STEP 6 – Here you have to add the sliced onions and sauté it well and 

cook for some time till it becomes light brown.

STEP 7 – Now add the mutton pieces in it

and give a nice stir and cook the mutton on high flame for few minutes until the raw smell disappears.

STEP 8 – Then add the ground paste,kashmiri red chilli powder and salt in it 

and mix well so that the masala get incorporated well with the mutton pieces. Fry it for 5-6 minutes.

STEP 9 - Add 2 cups of hot water in it and mix it well.

Simmer it till the water starts boiling and evaporating.

STEP 10 - Continue simmering the kalia or gravy in an open pan till the water evaporates completely. Give a nice stir in between and keep cooking till the water dries up .It takes about 20 minutes.

STEP 11 - When the water disappears completely, you can see the dark brown coloured gravy. Keep browning the meat till the oil starts separating.

STEP 12 - Add hot water to it,

cover it and cook it further for 15-20 minutes or until it get cooked.

STEP 13 - Here you have to add 1-2 tablespoon ghee in the pan or gravy and 9-10 green cardamoms

and again cover it and cook for more 10 minutes.

Check if the mutton is cooked or not and then switch off the flame.

STEP 14 – Adjust the gravy consistency as per your liking. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Serve hot kalia with naan, onion rings and lemon and enjoy.

NOTES:* You usually starts coughing when the oil is hot enough and smoky. Keep this in mind while heating the oil.