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Kata-kat
کٹا کٹ (kata-kat): Karachi and Lahore street tawa fry of chopped kidneys, hearts and meat with butter and chilli
You hear kata-kat before you see it: on Karachi's Burns Road and around Lahore's Gawalmandi, the cook stands over a tawa a metre wide, chopping kidneys, hearts and meat with two heavy steel blades in a clattering rhythm that gives the dish its name. Butter, tomatoes, green chillies and spice go in by the handful, and the mix is cooked down until rich and sticky, then scooped up with naan late at night. Traditional versions include brains, cooked in at the end; here they are optional. The danger is undercooking the offal while the meat is still chewy, so start the meat first and add kidney and heart later, cooking until there is no pink at all. Chef's tip: soak the kidneys in salted water for 20 minutes after removing the white core, which takes away any strong smell.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the meat
- 10 ½ oz boneless lamb or goatcut into small cubes
- ¾ cup water
- 4 lamb kidneyshalved, white core removed, soaked 20 minutes in salted water, chopped
- 2 lamb heartstrimmed of fat and tubes, chopped
- 1 set lamb or goat brains (optional)soaked, membrane removed, chopped
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ¾ oz butter
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 5 green chillieschopped
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp coriander seedscrushed
- 1 tsp cumin seedstoasted and crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
- 3 cm piece fresh ginger (optional)cut into matchsticks
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 10 ½ oz boneless lamb or goat and ¾ cup water in a pan, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the meat is tender and the water has almost gone.
20 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil and ⅞ oz butter on a large griddle or a wide heavy frying pan over a high heat.
2 minStep 3: Add the lamb and 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2–3 minutes until it sizzles.
3 minStep 4: Add 4 lamb kidneys and 2 lamb hearts and stir-fry for 7–8 minutes, chopping them against the pan with the edge of a metal spatula, until they are firm and there is no pink left inside.
8 minStep 5: Add 3 tomatoes, 5 green chillies, 1 ½ tsp red chilli flakes, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp salt and cook for 5–6 minutes, chopping and stirring, until the tomatoes have melted into a thick masala.
6 minStep 6: If using 1 set lamb or goat brains, add them now with ⅞ oz butter and cook for 3–4 minutes, chopping, until they are firm and opaque all the way through. If not, just add the remaining butter.
4 minStep 7: Sprinkle with 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tbsp lemon juice and toss.
1 minStep 8: Scatter with 3 cm piece fresh ginger and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve sizzling hot with naan.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kata-kat take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 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 butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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