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				KHEEMA DO PYAZ
			Spiced Indian Minced Beef with
			     Crispy Fried Onions
							Serves a small Army
							but keeps well
							Prep: 2+ hours
							Cook: 2+ hours


	INGREDIENTS: in order and groups of use

	1     cup Usli ghee
	6      @  Onions, medium, cut in thin crescents

	some additional ghee

	4      @  Cinnamon (Cassia bark) sticks, medium
		OR
	2     tsp Cinnamon Ceylonese, ground to the powdered spices below

	20     @  Cloves
	4      @  California bay laurel, medium
	8-12   @  bay leaves, medium (Turkish)

	2     tsp Fenugreek seeds
	2     tsp Fennel seeds
	4     tsp Black peppercorns
	2     tsp Black mustard seeds
	4     tsp Green cardamom seeds
		OR
	2     tsp Cardamom, ground added to ground spices below
	1     tsp Nigella, "black onion" seed (kalonji)

	Masala pureed in food processor:
	2-3    @  Onions, medium coarsely chopped
	6-8+  clv Garlic, large, coarsely chopped
	2      @  Ginger root, walnut sized chunks of fresh root,
		  sliced across the grain

	12-20  @  Jalapeño peppers, large, coarsely chopped
	2-6    @  Onions, medium cut in thin crecents

	Ground spices mixed in a bowl:
	8     TBS Cumino seed, ground
	8     TBS Coriander seed, ground
	4     TBS Turmeric, ground
	4     tsp Cardamom pod, ground
	4     tsp Nutmeg, ground
	2     tsp Mace, ground
	2     tsp Ceylonese cinnamon, ground
		OR
	1     tsp Cassia bark "cinnamon", ground
	4-6   TBS Paprika, sweet
	3+    tsp Cayenne ground hot pepper powder (or equivalent)
	4     tsp Onion powder
	2     tsp Garlic powder
	2     TBS Madras Curry Powder

	2-5   cup hot water

	3     lbs Beef, minced or ground

	2     tsp Salt

	1      @  Tomato paste, medium can (12 ozs.), whisked into
	2     cup warm water from above

	3-4   cup Sour cream or good home made thick yoghurt

	Hardboiled eggs, ad libitum, halved or quartered
		TSC recommends halved, at least 1 egg per person

	[Garam Masala]
	[Cilantro or Parsley]

	METHOD:

	1. First make the "do pyaz" part by frying the 6 thinly sliced
	   onions in the ghee until they are deep brown at a moderately high
	   heat.  This is a pain in the ass because it requires 30-45 mins.
	   of constant stiring and attention.  In the endgame, it is all
	   to easy for that deep brown to go to black.  A little black
	   won't hurt, but you really don't want burnt onions.  On the
	   other hand, simply light brown will not give the crispiness
	   that they should have.  They only crisp up on cooling, so
	   the call on this is a matter of practice.
		[By the way, one of things that you are doing is
		caramelizing the sugar in the onions.  That's why frying
		onions, generally, and then adding other stuff will
		always cause sticking; it's the sugar goo.]

	2. Remove the onions with a large slotted spoon, pressing out oil
	   with a wooden spoon, to a few layers of paper toweling on a plate
	   or in a bowl.  If ya done good, when they cool, drain and air
	   dry, the onions should be crispy and crumbly, but still retain
	   some moisturized toughness.

	3. There should be oil left in the pan.  Strain it and return it
	   to a freshened large pan (largest you have, probably).  Add a
	   little more ghee, if necessary, so that there is a thin layer
	   in the pan - more than just a coating.

	4. Warm the oil and add the two cinnamon sticks.  Raise the heat
	   until the cinnamon sticks sizzle gently.  Let them do this for
	   a few minutes, occasionally swirling them in the pan.  Fresh
	   cinnamon bark will uncurl.

	5. Add the 6 cloves and 2+4=6 bay leaves, keeping things in motion.
	   When the bay leaves have browned a bit, add the next group of
	   seeds, and continue keeping everything in motion.

	6. When the fenugreek seeds begin turning brown, add the paste of
	   pureed, garlic, ginger, onions; raise the temperature slightly,
	   and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes.
	   Keep your face out of the steam.

	   Add the chopped chilies, mix and cook for 3-5 minutes.

	   Add in the crescent onions.
	   Keep stiring and cooking for about 3-5 minutes until the onions
	   become just wilted and translucent.  Here, they will act as
	   vegetable component.

	7. Add the collection of mixed ground spices; continue stirring.
	   When any sticking begins, add some hot water, one TBS at a time.
	   Continue for 5 minutes.  The mixing will be a little from
	   here to step #9.

	8. Add the ground beef, mixing and breaking up pieces with the
	   edge of a wooden spoon.  Add a little extra water to prevent
	   any sticking.

	9. When the meat is no longer red, gradually add the rest of the
	   water with whisked in tomato paste, mixing in thoroughly.
	   You want something a little on the soupy side, so add as
	   much hot water as you need.

       10. Reduce heat and allow this to cook at a very low simmer for
	   45 mins or more so, uncovered so that it reduces and becomes
	   very thick.

       11. Add the sour cream, mix thoroughly and bring back to temperature.
	   Embed the egg halves in the mixture, cover and keep on a very
	   low heat so there is no sticking.  Do what else you need to do;
	   make rice, vegetables, raita, paratha, chappati, ...

       12. Serve with a pinch of garam masala (ground together "warming
	   spices") sprinkled over the top of each serving, the browned
	   onions crumbled on top (that's the "do pyaz" part) of that,
	   and optionally some chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

       13. Rice of your choice, Basmati; is very good, some sort of
	   vegetable, a plain simple yoghurt, Indian relishes and pickles
	   to accompany.  A bread also, if you're up for it: Chappati,
	   naan, pooris, paratha, ....

       14. On reuse or leftovers, you can make a pullao which is baked:
	   two layers of partially cooked rice enclosing a layer of kheema.
	   Get fancy by pouring a cup of heavy cream flavored with saffron
	   and rose water over the top rice layer before covering tightly
	   for baking.

	   Otherwise, simply reheat gently in pan, oven or microwave.


	NOTES:

	1. This dish started out as an "Indian student" concoction,
	   probably by "liberated Brahmins" who finally got courageous
	   enough to eat meat (beef no less!), and who were tired of the
	   general blandness and sweetness of almost all Western, and
	   especially British and US American cooking.  The general idea
	   is "beef with onions and spices", so the proportions of just
	   about everything is negotiable.  The itemization and proportions
	   above is mine, and it happens to be what I like; if you don't
	   like it, change it.  The spice and herb treatment, and cooking
	   methods, generally, are perfectly classic in Indian cooking.

	   A nice addition is strewing defrosted frozen peas over the
	   surface after submerging the HB eggs, and then covering for
	   them to cook by steaming.

	   This goes considerably beyond the original student dish that
	   I first had as cooked by my nifty friends in my university
	   undergrad and grad school days.  It also requires far more
	   work, and time.

	2. This keeps very well in the refrigerator, and even better
	   frozen.

	3. Those crisply fried onions seem to keep forever and go well
	   with many things that aren't even Indian, like in a hamburger.
	   They can also be used in other dishes begining with a masala
	   that incorporates them.  TSC also uses them in a Germanic
	   gravy/sauce for pork.

	   Since they are such a pain to make and take so long, you might
	   as well, when you in the mood, make a good sized batch and save
	   them.

	4. For the spices mixed in the bowl, you could actually
	   substitute a generous half cup+ of a good commercial or
	   home made special "curry powder".

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