Recipe for Brain Masala
Recipe for Brain Masala
Goli Maar Beje mein… Dishkyaon! As kids, we never had “weekend” outings because Mum was busy with her catering business(weekends were busiest) and Dad used to work in shifts. However, our Fun days were Thursday Evenings since it used to be Dad’s weekly off. And Boy would we have Fun or what! Our meaning of Recreation and Family time would be enjoying Cart style Chinese Food, Going to a Park and enjoying Vada Pao, Paani Puri, Gola, Kulfi, etc. after playing or eating at Humble restaurants & enjoy some “outside” food. For us back in the day, these little things were really Fancy and Extremely exciting recreations for us. Most Thursdays we would Love to visit our favourite Metro Café restaurant In South Bombay and enjoy a dinner that consisted of our most favourite Mughlai Brain Masala and Chicken Afghani with Chapatis. My brother and I would be so stuffed but would get excited when Dad would order Biryani too! And then would come the best part of the evening where Dad would take me on his shoulders and walk back home! Me being Me, I thought this would be done for the rest of my life! Haha… When I was around 8 I asked my dad to take me on his shoulders and the look I got from my Mom was My que to NEVER EVER ask again! hahaha Trust me when I say this, I have never eaten a better tasting Brain Masala at any other restaurant and I have tried Many Many of them. It’s 25+ years now, but whenever I’m in Bombay, I always make it a point to go and enjoy my favourite Brain Masala at Metro Café. It is my Dad’s wish that I learn the “Restaurant Style” Brain Masala. So, I thought of giving it a shot.After looking up so many recipes on the internet and asking so many people for a Real good Beja Masala recipe and sadly Not getting any to my satisfaction, I finally decided to play Tic Tac Toe with my Spices and create my own something!!! What I dished out is extremely close(not the same of course) to the one we eat Metro Café. A Part of my Heart is satisfied. Hopefully when I go to India next, I’ll make this for my Pops and see what he has to say. P.S. From the pics I sent to him, he couldn't see properly and thought it was “Sheera” Hahahahahah But I’m sure when I make it for him, he won’t think that it tastes like “Sheera” (Hopefully)…fingers crossed! Gosh! (Parents sometimes can be quite Savage na!! Hahahaha) THIS ONE’SFOR MY POPS! WHO, HOWEVER TIRED, NEVER FAILED TO GIVE US HIS ALL, BE IT THURSDAY OR ANY OTHER DAY! 😊
Servings 6 people
Ingredients
Dry Spices
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Green Cardamom
- 4 Pepper Corns
- 2 Star Anise Pearls
- 1 inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1/2 Tspn Fennel Seeds
- 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
- 1 Tspn Sesame Seeds
For the Saute
- 2 Medium Sized Onions(Roughly chopped)
- 1 Medium Sized Tomato(Roughly chopped)
- 2 Green Chillies(slit)
- 2 Tspn Ginger Garlic Paste
- 20 Cashew seeds
- 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tspn Chilly Powder
- 3 Tspn Coriander Seed Powder
- 1 Tspn Garam Masala Powder
- 1.5 Tspn Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1/2 Tspn Salt
- 1 Tbspn Oil
- 1/4 Cup Water
Other Ingredients for the Gravy
- 1 Cow's Brain or 2 Goat's Brain
- 2 Tbspn Yogurt
- Juice of 1 small Lemon
- 1 Tspn Sugar or jaggery
- 1.5 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Water(for boiling the brain)
- 1/2 Tspn Salt(to be added while boiling the brain)
- 3 Tbspn Oil
- 4 Bayleaves
- Salt if required
For the Masala Paste
- Dry Spices + Saute
- 1 Cup Fresh Coriander with stem(Approx 70-80 gms)
- 1/4 Cup Water
Instructions
- Washthe brain thoroughly (ensure the tap is not on full speed or else the brainwill get damaged and break into pieces)
- Placethe washed brain into a vessel. Add 1/4 cup water and 1/2 tspn salt and allowit to boil for 15 minutes(7-8 minutes on each side) on medium high flame
- Once the brain is ready, discard the water and keep the brain aside to cool at room temperature.Note:-We do not require the brain to be fully cooked or else the texture will be hard. Brain is best enjoyed when it is soft, creamy and melt in the mouth! Once the brain is cool, very gently, with a sharp knife, cut it into quarters. If you’re using Goat Brain, you can keep it as is since they are relatively smaller in sizeTip: your Knife has to be nice and sharp or else there will be a Mish mash
- In a Frying Pan, Heat 1 Tbspn Ghee or Oil on Low Medium heat and add All the whole Dry Spices Dry and let all it's flavours get infused into the Hot Oil/Ghee. Let the spices cook for about 7-10 minutes on low heat
- Then add the Onions, Chilllies and Tomatoes and let it cook till the Onions turn slightly Brown in colour.
- Then add the Ginger Garlic Paste, Cashew Seeds. Mix well and cover the pan. Here, you can add 1/4 cup water
- Once the Tomatoes are fully cooked and turn into a Puree like consistency, add the Dry Spice powders i.e Turmeric, Chilly, Coriander Seed and Garam Masala and Mix well and add around 1/4 cup water and let it cook until the Masalas no longer have a bitter bitter taste left. It takes about 8-12 minutes
- Once done, turn off the heat and leave it aside to cool at room temperature
- Now, in a mixer Jar, Add the cooked Spices and Saute Mix and Fresh Coriander and grind all this together into a nice smooth pasteNote:- You can add water to grind the paste
- Now in a skillet, heat 2-3 Tbspn oil on High HeatNote: The Oil has to be very hot before adding the Masala Paste. That's where the thick texture on the gravy comes from, initially
- Once the Oil is Hot, Add the Bay leaves and transfer the Masala Paste into the Skillet and mix wellNote: Be careful while transferring the Masala paste into the Hot Oil because it will sputter
- Add 1 Cup Water into the grinder jar, give it a shake and add this water into the skillet too
- Add the Yogurt, Sugar or Jggery, Salt and Lemon Juice, mix it well with the gravyNow, cover the skillet. lower the heat to medium and let the gravy cook for about 12-15 minutes. Note: Ensure the gravy is not tasting bitter. If it is, then you can add some more water(if the gravy is too thick) let it further cook until all the raw/bitter taste is no longer felt. Note: You can add more water because as and when this gravy cooks further, it thickens due to the Cashews and Yogurt.
- Once the gravy is done, add the cut pieces of Brain into the gravy and very gently, using a spatula, cover each brain piece with the gravy and allow it to cook for 5-7 minutesNote: If you over cook the brain, it will turn hard and lose it’s taste and texture. Hence it is advised to always taste the gravy and only if you’re fully content with the taste of the gravy, add the brain or else you will land up over cooking the BrainAlso, Brain is extremely delicate and has to be handled with utmost care. It is very Important to handle the Brain very gently. Continuous contact with the Brain and Continuously stirring the gravy, will lead to the Brain completely breaking into pieces and spreading all across the gravy. I would recommend using only a Silicone spatula to mix the gravy with the brain as it is easy to work with and will not damage the brain pieces.
- Sprinkle some freshly chopped Coriander over the gravy, give it a very gentle mix and turn off the heat after 2-3 minutes
- Enjoy this Extremely Flavour packed Brain Masala with Either Bread or Hot Chapatis and Do Not forget the Onion Slices with Lemon Squeezed over them! Yummmmmm! For better taste, make it a day in advance or eat it the next day!
