Minced meat cutlets

Cutlets are a great accompaniment to any meal. They can be had as starters by themselves or can be eaten with pao like a sandwich, or with a meal of rice and daal. Many years ago, when I was studying in Goa, going to Miramar for cutlet pao was an exciting event and my friends and I looked forward to that trip with all the excitement that we could muster. We also loved the choris pao, squid masala, sorpotel pao and other delicacies that could be bought at the cart and eaten, whilst looking at the crowded beach on Sunday evenings. The cart was very popular and had a loyal clientele. Just thinking about the cart at Miramar makes me so nostalgic.

Anyway, coming back to the cutlets, the recipe I share with you today is my mother-in-law's recipe.  Whatever I am in the kitchen today is due to her encouragement and guidance. She has taught me many things inside the kitchen and other wonderful things about life. What can I say, I am a lucky girl!

Recipe credit: ms Rozita Coutinho

Ingredients:

1. Mince meat (beef) – ½ kg
2. Turmeric – ½ tsp

Method to cook the mince:

1. Wash and drain the mince on the drain board.
2. Put a pan on the stove, and put the mince and the turmeric, dehydrate the mince completely.
3. Once dehydrated you could mince it further in a mixer. Keep aside.

Ingredients:

1. Onion – 1 medium (finely chopped)
2. Tomato – 1 medium (finely chopped)
3. Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
4. Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup tightly packed
5. Green chilly – 3 nos (finely chopped)
6. Egg – 1 no
7. Bread crumbs – as required
8. Oil – as required
9. Salt – as required

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, fry the onions, add salt, fry till translucent, add the green chillies and tomatoes, fry well, and add the ginger garlic paste. Let this cook well and then put off the flame.
2. Cool the above mixture and then give it a twirl in the food processor or a mixer. Add this to the cooked minced meat, add one egg and mix well.
3. Make small balls and flatten in your palms, roll in the bread crumbs and shallow fry on both sides till they turn brown.