Life Without Alu?: Handling Raw Meat with Safety

Monday, 22 August 2016

Grilled Lamb Kababs

Photo and Recipe Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

For this week I have a quick and delectable recipe for you – Grilled Lamb Kababs. Now this dish tastes best if you can marinate the Lamb overnight so do try to plan ahead. The Kababs go very well with a cool salad so please check my recipe for Romaine Salad with Basil and Nuts on the blog.

For this recipe I thought it will be good to include some tips on cooking, storing and handling the raw meat so do check the Handling Raw Meat with Safety article for all the important information.

If you are looking for a reason not to be a vegetarian, this recipe is perfect for you. So heat up the grill and be ready to enjoy a lip-smacking dinner.

Ingredients:

Lamb - 1 pound, cut into 1 inch cubes
Tandoori Masala - 2 teaspoon
Onion Powder - 1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger Powder - 1 teaspoon
Red Chili Powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - (to taste) about ½ teaspoon
Black Pepper Powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - ½ teaspoon
Olive oil – 3-4 tablespoon
Kewra water – 1 tablespoon
Vinegar/ Yogurt – 5 tablespoons
Papaya – half pureed
Mace – ½ teaspoon

Let’s do a little prep:

In a small bowl mix all the spices (Tandoori Masala, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Ginger Powder, Red Chili Powder, Salt, Black Pepper Powder, Mace and Turmeric Powder) with the Olive Oil, Kewra water, Vinegar and Papaya puree.
Coat this marinade all over the Lamb pieces. Use all of the marinade as a lot of it drips while grilling.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Directions for Grilling the Lamb Kababs:

Make sure to use a clean grill and keep an oven safe dish lined with an aluminum foil nearby to transfer the grilled Lamb Kababs.
Preheat the Grill on medium heat.
Oil the grates with a cooking spray (oil it well to prevent any sticking).
Thread the Lamb Kababs on the skewers, leaving a small space between each item. Discard the marinade.
Cook for about 20 minutes (for medium well) and keep turning the sides after every 5- 7 minutes. This allows for an even cooking.
Serve it with a side of cool salad and a lemon wedge

Tips:

You can use Ginger, Garlic and Onion paste instead of powders but they will add more moisture to the Kababs so you may want to brush the Kababs with the marinade once while you are grilling.

Recommended Reading:

Debjani Moitra

I am a daughter, wife and now a mom! I love cooking and baking and the idea behind this blog is simple. To share all those food recipes I know. Our mom's and grandma's are excellent cooks right? We love the food prepared by them, it's as if their cooking makes our DNA. So, why cook and remember only special gourmet recipes? Life Without Alu? is a celebration of their lives and their love for us by the one medium they knew best - Food! and of course no food is complete without the starch - the star of the show - Potatoes!

Sunday, 21 August 2016

Handling Raw Meat with Safety

'There is no sincerer love than the love of' eating a hot, succulent piece of meat. Be that a fat dripping Steak, delicious Lamb curry or the delectable Thanksgiving Turkey, meat lovers are there to enjoy every bite. So, today I thought how about I share my pointers for cooking meat. Why? Because raw meat contains bacteria and it is very important to follow certain steps to ensure the food is being prepared in the most hygienic way.

I have divided the pointers under four topics: Buying, Thawing/ Refrigerating, Hygiene and Cooking. Let’s start:

Buying Meat Products:

Always check the expiration date on the package while buying meat from grocery shops.
Make sure to check the packet and if it is torn or leaking, replace them.
Never use any meat past the expiration date (Sell-By or Use-By) dates.

Thawing/ Refrigerating The Meat:

If you are keeping the frozen meat in the fridge to thaw slowly, always keep it in the lowest rack so that its juices do not drip over other food.
When thawing frozen meat outside, fill a big pot or pan with tap water and put the meat in a zip lock bag. Keep the Pot preferably in the sink so that the water can be easily drained out. Keep changing the water every hour and cook the meat as soon as it gets thawed.

Hygiene While Handling Meat:

Always wash hands before and after touching any food (meats, fruits, vegetables). As a good practice I always wash my hands as soon as I enter the kitchen.
Make sure to wash all the counter tops, chopping boards, knives etc. before and after handling meat to prevent any cross contamination.
Make sure to wash all the kitchen cloths you are using while handling/ cooking meat.
Keep raw food away from meat, specially those which wont be washed before eating like Bread and Salad.
Keep a designated chopping board for cutting meat. I prefer to use plastic chopping boards for meat as they can be washed in the dish washer at a high temperature. I have wooden chopping boards for Vegetables, Fruits, Bread and Cheese.
Replace the chopping boards when they develop too many deep groves which may hold moisture and hence bacteria.

Cooking The Meat:

Make sure the meat is properly thawed before you start cooking it.
When keeping the marinated meat in the fridge, put it in a zip lock bag or a covered dish.
Raw meat has bacteria and that is why it is important to cook it throughout. If the meat is steaming hot you can be assured that it is safe to consume it. The best cooking approach is medium well.
Keep moving the meat on the grill so that it is cooked evenly on all sides.
Always consume any cooked meat leftovers within 3-4 days. If you are not planning to consume it soon it is better to freeze it.
Always allow a resting time for the cooked meat. When the meat is hot from the grill or oven allow just a couple of minutes for the juices to mix evenly with the meat. This enhances the taste.
Use an aluminum foil to cover the cooked meat.
Always use separate dishes for keeping uncooked and cooked meat. You don’t want the bacteria of raw meat to transfer to the cooked product.