Beef Cutlet

"Hungry? Let's have a cutlet..." these are cries from my college days in Kerala (India). We were guys with some serious appetite and even after having a heavy lunch, we would be hungry at around tea time. Just a cup of tea never worked and cutlet was the ideal solution. It's rich, heavy, tasty and filling.

Back in those day it used to be veggie cutlets; but what life without meat... he..he... And my fondness foe beef is kind of popular within my friend circle to a level that they used to offer me beef sandwiches in return for favors...

In short, its a Malabar version of breaded patties... and below is the recipe... Enjoi...

Makes: 12-14 cutlets
Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 1 Hr.
Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 2 Hr.


Ingredients:


1. Beef - 1 Lb. (1/2 Kg.) boneless cut into small cubes
2. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
3. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp.
4. Salt - a pinch


5. Potato - 2 (medium size - peeled and cut to small cubes)
6. Salt - a pinch

7. Red onions - 1 (medium size - sliced/diced to very small pieces)
8. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp.
9. Green Chilli - 2 (chipped)
10. Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp. (add more if you need it extra spicy)
11. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
12. Black pepper powder - 1 Tsp.
13. Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
14. Garam Masala - a pinch
15. Lime Juice - squeezed from 1 half of a Lime
16. Coriander Leaves
17. Curry leaves
18. Canola Oil - 2tbsp.

19. Egg whites - from 2 eggs
20. Bread crumbs: 4 cups.
21. Canola Oil - to fry

Preparation:

1. Cook the meat: add ingredients 1-4 to a pressure cooker along with a cup of water and cook for about 20 min. The meat should be cooked till it gets soft and could be easily shredded with our fingers. If the meat is not cooked properly, cook it for few more minutes (probably you got a tougher piece of meat).

2. Using a strainer, drain the meat and set aside. Do not throw away the broth (liquid from the meat); we will be using this broth to cook our potatoes.

3. In a microwave safe bowl all ingredients 5-6 along with the beef broth and keep it to cook for 10 min. The potatoes cooked so that it should be mashable, but not too soft and soggy.

4. In a sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp. of oil. Add onions, a pinch of salt and sauté the onions till its transparent.

5. Add the chopped chillies and ginger garlic past and sauté for 2 mins.

6. Add all powders (ingredients 10-14) and sauté till its cooked (for 2 mins.)

7. Add shredded meat into the pan and mix it well.

8. Add the lime juice, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves to the pan. Mix well and keep the pan covered on low flame for about 5-8 mins. This will help marry all the flavors from the meat and masala together.

9. Remove the pan from the flame and mash in the boiled potatoes. Keep it to cool for about 10 mins.

10. Roll the mixture (about 3 heaped tbsp. mixture) into medium sized circular patties and set it aside. In fact, you could make it into any shapes with flat faces, but I personally prefer circular patties.

11. Beat egg whites in a bowl and also keep the bread crumbs in a plate.

12. Dip the patties one at a time into the egg whites and coat it evenly all over with egg white. Transfer the “egg coated patties” into the bread crumbs plate and coat it evenly with bread crumbs and set aside.

Tips: keep the bowl with egg whites and the plate with bread crumbs close to each other. Use both your hands - one hand to coat with egg whites and the other to coat with bread crumbs. This way the egg whites will not accidentally fall on the bread crumbs and form lumps.

13. On a frying pan, heat enough oil to shallow fry the patties till its nicely brown on all sides. Serve it warm with a side of ketchup or chutney. My little one loves it with Mayonnaise... :-)