Food Talk
 Chop of the old block

Both as a starter, unusual finger food or an accompaniment, Tabakh maaz is the favourite forbidden food, writes Pushpesh Pant



   Food Talk

Method

Put the ribs after cleaning and washing into boiling water and continue boiling, removing the scum frequently until no scum rises to surface. Continue the process till the ribs are almost half done. Then add the garlic paste and stir well. Boil for another 15 minutes. Then put the salt and boil covered till the membrane between the ribs can be pierced with fingers. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the remaining water. Cool the ribs. Wash thoroughly and preserve this water. Chop the ribs with a sharp knife into rectangular pieces of the same size. Now bring to boil the water in which the ribs were washed. Add the chopped ribs, salt, black cardamoms, cloves, dry ginger powder, and turmeric powder. Stir and boil until the bones can be separated from the membrane easily. Remove from the heat and take out the ribs with a slotted spoon. Keep aside. Gently place the ribs in a large frying pan separately. Pour the ghee over these and fry until they are reddish brown. This may require turning lightly once or twice. Serve after draining the excess fat.

Chops are a cut of meat quite popular with all carnivores. 

The Englishmen feels really starved if he is denied the familiar pork chops or lamb chops. The Indians too are partial to chaapein. 

These, of course, are spicier, much more aromatic and hence tastier than the phirangee chops. The chops in India are enjoyed both in curries and grilled.

What has intrigued us for quite sometime is that why do most of the time we neglect other parts of the rib cage that are equally delicious. 

There are connoisseurs who prefer seena, puth and garden to all other cuts of meat and of course seena and pasliya are asked for by name when the Biryani is being cooked. 

This is understandable as the higher fat content contributes to the malaiyat — the creamy texture of the biryani. But otherwise the spare ribs remain neglected. 

Perhaps this is the reason in the modern health conscious era this cut of meat is usually given a miss.

It is in Kashmir where the winter chill is forever inviting the diner to increase the intake of calories that the ribs have come into their own and are resplendent into glory the Kashmiri style of cooking be it the Pundit or the Muslim Waza is never inhibited about using copious quantity of oil and a little more with the flesh is always welcome.

Tabakh maaz has always remained our favourite "forbidden food". 

Change the name and call it Kabargah but it remains as sinfully rich and mouth watering as ever. 

The cooking process may appear a bit tiresome but once the preparation is done it is not too much bother, well worth the effort. 

What you obtain is a delicacy, aromatic, flavourful and unusual.

It provides variety to a meal and can be used both as a stunning starter, unusual finger food or an accompaniment.

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