Khasi ko Masu

Name: Khasi ko Masu
Prep time: 80 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Nepali
Ingredients: 1 kg bone-in goat meat (khasi), curry cut (cut into 4 to 5 centimetre pieces with some fat and marrow bones); 1 tsp turmeric powder; 2 tsp salt (plus more to taste); 2 tbsp ginger paste; 2 tbsp garlic paste; 90 ml mustard oil (divided, 1 tablespoon for the marinade); 3 leaves tejpat (Nepali bay leaves); 2 pieces black cardamom (lightly crushed); 4 pieces green cardamom; 5 pieces cloves; 1 stick cinnamon (dalchini) (about 5 centimetres); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 3 whole dried red chillies; 400 g onions (thinly sliced, about 3 medium); 4 pieces green chillies (slit); 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1.5 tsp red chilli powder; 250 g ripe tomatoes (chopped, about 2 large); 750 ml hot water; 1 tsp Nepali garam masala; 0.25 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper) (ground, optional); 1 bunch fresh coriander (dhaniya) (chopped)

Serves 6 · 210 min · Nepali

Ingredients

1 kg bone-in goat meat (khasi), curry cut
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp garlic paste
90 ml mustard oil
3 leaves tejpat (Nepali bay leaves)
2 black cardamom
4 green cardamom
5 cloves
1 stick cinnamon (dalchini)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 dried red chillies
400 g onions
4 green chillies
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1½ tsp red chilli powder
250 g ripe tomatoes
750 ml hot water
1 tsp Nepali garam masala
¼ tsp timur (Sichuan pepper)
1 bunch fresh coriander (dhaniya)

Method

01
Marinate the goat Rinse and drain the goat pieces, then rub them with the turmeric, two teaspoons of salt, half the ginger paste, half the garlic paste and one tablespoon of mustard oil. Cover and leave to marinate for one hour.
02
Heat the mustard oil Heat the remaining mustard oil in a heavy pot or kadai over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then lower the heat to medium.
03
Fry the whole spices Add the bay leaves, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds and dried red chillies, and stir until they sizzle and smell fragrant.
04
Brown the onions Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring often, until they are deep golden brown.
05
Add ginger and garlic Stir in the rest of the ginger and garlic paste with the green chillies, and fry until the raw smell is gone.
06
Sear the meat Turn the heat to high, add the marinated goat, and keep turning the pieces until all the liquid they release has dried off and the meat is browned on all sides.
07
Add the ground spices Lower the heat to medium, add the ground cumin, ground coriander and red chilli powder, and stir well to coat the meat.
08
Cook down the tomatoes Add the chopped tomatoes and keep stirring and frying until they melt completely and the oil separates at the edges of the pot.
09
Simmer slowly Pour in the hot water, bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat, stirring every fifteen minutes, until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone.
10
Finish and rest Taste for salt, stir in the garam masala and timur, and simmer uncovered until the gravy is as thick as you like. Turn off the heat and leave it to rest, covered.
11
Garnish and serve Scatter over the chopped coriander and serve hot with rice, dal and achar.

Method

Marinate the goat

Rinse and drain the goat pieces, then rub them with the turmeric, two teaspoons of salt, half the ginger paste, half the garlic paste and one tablespoon of mustard oil. Cover and leave to marinate for one hour.

You can marinate overnight in the fridge for deeper flavour; bring it back to room temperature before cooking.

Marinate the goat · 60 min

Heat the mustard oil

Heat the remaining mustard oil in a heavy pot or kadai over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then lower the heat to medium.

Smoking the mustard oil briefly takes away its raw, sharp taste. Once it smokes, let it cool for a few seconds so the spices don't burn.

Heat the mustard oil · 3 min

Fry the whole spices

Add the bay leaves, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds and dried red chillies, and stir until they sizzle and smell fragrant.

The oil is ready when a cumin seed sizzles straight away. If the spices turn black, start again, because they will make the curry bitter.

Fry the whole spices · 00:45

Brown the onions

Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring often, until they are deep golden brown.

Brown the onions · 12 min

Add ginger and garlic

Stir in the rest of the ginger and garlic paste with the green chillies, and fry until the raw smell is gone.

Add ginger and garlic · 2 min

Sear the meat

Turn the heat to high, add the marinated goat, and keep turning the pieces until all the liquid they release has dried off and the meat is browned on all sides.

Don't rush this step. Properly browned goat is what gives Nepali masu its dark colour and roasted flavour.

Sear the meat · 15 min

Add the ground spices

Lower the heat to medium, add the ground cumin, ground coriander and red chilli powder, and stir well to coat the meat.

Splash in two tablespoons of water if the spices start to stick and scorch.

Add the ground spices · 2 min

Cook down the tomatoes

Add the chopped tomatoes and keep stirring and frying until they melt completely and the oil separates at the edges of the pot.

Cook down the tomatoes · 15 min

Simmer slowly

Pour in the hot water, bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat, stirring every fifteen minutes, until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone.

Older goat may need longer, so add a little hot water if it dries out. In a pressure cooker, use five hundred millilitres of water and cook for about six whistles, then let the pressure drop on its own.

Simmer slowly · 75 min

Finish and rest

Taste for salt, stir in the garam masala and timur, and simmer uncovered until the gravy is as thick as you like. Turn off the heat and leave it to rest, covered.

Finish and rest · 5 min

Garnish and serve

Scatter over the chopped coriander and serve hot with rice, dal and achar.

Khasi ko Masu

Ingredients

Method

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