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Kachila (cooked)
Spiced buffalo mince
कचिला (kachila): Newari spiced buffalo mince with mustard oil, ginger and timur, made the safer cooked way
In the Newar homes and bhoj feasts of the Kathmandu Valley, kachila is a prized delicacy: finely minced buffalo meat mixed with mustard oil, garlic, ginger, chilli and numbing timur, eaten in small spoonfuls with beaten rice, traditionally raw. Raw minced meat can carry harmful bacteria and parasites right through, so the traditional raw form is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system, and we do not recommend it for anyone at home. This version keeps every bit of the seasoning but sears the mince quickly in a very hot pan to 71 °C, so it stays soft and loose rather than turning into a dry fry, then dresses it with the classic smoking mustard-oil tempering. It is eaten as part of samay baji or as a snack with chiura. The usual slip is overcooking it into crumbly pellets; take it off the heat the moment it is cooked through. Chef's tip: use buffalo or beef mince, or ask the butcher to mince lean beef twice, very fine.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the mince
- 4 cm piece fresh gingerfinely grated
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 5 tbsp mustard oildivided
For the tempering and finish
- 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 green chillieschopped
- 2 spring onionsfinely sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb buffalo or lean beef mince, finely minced with 4 cm piece fresh ginger, 6 cloves garlic, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper), ground and 1 ¼ tsp salt and keep it in the fridge until you cook.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a wide frying pan or wok over a high heat until it smokes.
2 minStep 3: Add the mince, spread it out and leave for 1 minute, then toss and break it up for 4–5 minutes until there is no pink left and a thermometer in the thickest clump reads 160°F. Tip into a bowl.
6 minStep 4: In a small pan, heat the remaining 3 tbsp mustard oil until it smokes, add 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds and 3 dried red chillies and fry for 20–30 seconds until the seeds turn dark brown, then take off the heat and stir in 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric.
2 minStep 5: Pour the sizzling tempering over the mince, add 2 green chillies, 2 spring onions and 1 tbsp lemon juice and toss well.
Step 6: Scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve warm or at room temperature with beaten rice. Eat the same day and refrigerate leftovers within an hour.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kachila (cooked) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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