Meat eating is dear for poor man but shutka(dry meat ) is dear for rich man

A history of meat eating was about 2.6 million years ago. Pre-humans had started making stone tools and use them to eat meat.Actually it is a debate "did humans eat meat or plants first".Though many people are nowadays have adopted vegetarian diet it cannot be denied the fact that most of the people around the world are meat lovers.To keep the meat in longer shelf life preservation and processing is must.There are several ways to preserve meat.Some of the most popular methods include smoking,salting,canning,pickling etc.But sun drying method is the oldest forms of preservation of meat.In some north-eastern states of India dried meat is a feature of many cuisines. Actually every country follows their own way of preservation.Though present time price hiking so much that meat eating is dear.We have to wait for the eid-uz-zaha as that is the period when variety of meat dishes could be prepared in traditional and innovative way.Generally village household of Assam preserve excess meat using sun drying method.Dry meat is as tastier as fresh.Once I served both to my guests , sutka was in demand. Meat cut to a specific uniform shape that permits the equal and simultaneous drying of whole batches of meat.Then it is dried under sunlight.Those called 'sutka' in local dialect.It can be preserved for many months. Dried meat can be cooked as curry with potato,pumpkin ,fry with onions and even lip smacking biryani .My favourite is sutka bhorta.Dry meat are roasted in a skillet ,grind it in a mortar with pestle ; add salt,roasted garlic pods, chopped chilly,choped onion,mustard oil,squeeze lemon juice ;mix well.

Another way of preserving meat is pickling.It is very popular in Meghalaya.Meat pickle also prepared in Kerala .Generally in Assam small town resident of Mohammedan community has their own recipe of meat pickle.I would like to share the recipe which is very easy and not time consuming.

INGREDIENTS:
Meat:1kg cut in small diced shape(lean meat is suitable for pickle and avoid fatty tissues).
Ginger:100gm cut in diced shape
Onion;250 gm sliced
Garlic: 4 large
Chilly:Prefererably ripen red colour cut into halves or whole(as per your requirement)
Vinegar:2 cup
Oil:1 cup
Salt:as per your requirement
Turmeric powder:1teaspoon
Achari masala:2teaspoon(optional)

METHOD:

Wash meat thoroughly.Keep in a glass or ceramic bowl.Soak in vinegar for overnight or 24 hours.Take a large pan and put meat alongwith vinegar,salt,turmeric powder,onion,oil.Put the pan in medium flame.Do not need to open the lid frequently.When it is half cooked stir thoroughly and put the flame in low.Add ginger,garlic cloves.Those are added later on so that it remains as chunk.When it is almost cooked add chilly and sprinkle achari masala.Put off the gas and leave .When it becomes completely cool transfer in a bowl.Keep in a airtight container .It can be eaten with roti,paratha,puri,sandwitch.You can simply eat with dal,rice.

TIPS:
Your preserved meat in pickle could be renamed as 'chillymeat' by adding sufficient amount of chilly .It may be kashmiri red chilly,bird's eye chilly , world's hottest chilly(naga jolokia or bhot jolokia),dhan jolokia whatever available in your locality.I like to prepare meat pickle with small,round,blood red colour chilly grows abundantly in Meghalaya.

So.....Relish.....Reinvent....and......Read my blog 'lovecookingwithgulshan".