Kheema Pulao (Mutton/Chicken)
When my daughter, Keerthana was young, she would ask for 'chicken pulao without chicken!, i am talking about 18-20 years back when Internet was not that common to seek recipes. I came up with the idea of mashing chicken to make her eat it, which she loved. This is her favorite even to this day. It is easy and delectable.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken/Mutton Kheema : 1/2 kg (or slightly less)
Basmati/Jeera: 1/2 kg (2 pavu/measure)
Onion : 3-4, finely diced
Mint/Methi leaves : 1 cup diced
Coriander leaves : 1 cup diced
Tomato : 3-4 diced
Oil : ~1 cup/ as required
For Grinding :
Green chillies* : 10-12, to taste
Red chilli powder* : 1.5 tsp (to taste)
Coriander/dhania powder : 1.5 tsp
Cloves : ~ 10
Cinnamon : ~2X 2 inch pieces
Jaykaayi: 1 cardamom size
Cardamom - 1 bud
Garlic cloves : ~1/4 paavu
Ginger : ~ half palm size
Coconut : 1-2 tbsp, grated
Method :
Heat oil, saute diced onion, pudina/methi leaves. Add a handful diced coriander leaves (can be ground instead).
Add keema, saute with salt, add ground masala and saute well. Add diced tomatoes, saute a bit. Now add sufficient water (most rice require 1.5 to 2 times its measure).
Cook well till kheema is done; preferably pressure cook to one whistle (which is safer to prevent food poisoning from bacterial contamination due to extensive handling during mincing process).
Turn off the heat and let it cool (if pressure cooked), now you could adjust the taste as needed, with salt, chopped green chillies or chilli powder, bring to boil and add soaked and drained rice and cook on low flame, till rice is done.
Allow the pulav to cool for 10-15min before mixing it well (so that the rice grains do not get mashed up). Serve hot with raita of your choice. We prefer cucumber-apple raita (finely chopped cucumber and apple in curd) with this dish
Tip : *add less, you could add more chopped green chillies/red chilli powder while adjusting taste
You could add a cup of fresh peas after onion turns golden color, enhances the look of the dish
INFORMATION
Vegan : No
Gluten free: YES
Calories:
1 cup (100 g) = ~130 Cal (but, depends on the fat content)
NUTRITIVE VALUE :
The calorie content depends on which part/cut of the chicken is being used. For example, a 100-gram serving of chicken breast provides 165 calories, 31 grams of protein and 3.6 grams of fat. That means that approximately 80% of the calories in chicken breast come from protein, and 20% comes from fat. While one chicken drumstick has 76 calories, or 172 calories per 100 grams. It’s 70% protein and 30% fat.
HEALTH BENEFITS :
In general, meat is a complete, high-quality protein containing all of the essential amino acids our body needs for optimal health. Meat provides more protein per serving (25 grams per 3 ounces) than dairy (8 grams per cup), eggs (6 grams each), legumes (12 grams per ¾ cup), vegetables or nuts (2 to 5 grams per serving). Meat is the natural source of Vitamin B12. It is rich in essential nutrients such as amino acids and minerals. Consuming meat may help you manage, and even lose, weight.
Chicken is a popular option when it comes to lean protein, as it packs a considerable amount into a single serving without a lot of fat.
WATER FOOTPRINT (is litres of water needed to produce the food) :
A pound of chicken takes 518 gallons of water to produce.
DID YOU KNOW :
- Chicken is a perfect protein to make a fantastic low-glycemic meal. Because chicken does not contain any carbohydrates, it has little effect on blood sugar levels.
- Ground meat, called mince or minced meat outside of North America (i.e. in U.K. and Commonwealth countries), and keema or qeema in the Indian subcontinent, is meat finely chopped by a meat grinder or a chopping knife. A common type of ground meat is ground beef, but many other types of meats are prepared in a similar fashion, including pork, lamb, and poultry. In the Indian subcontinent, both mutton and goat meat are also minced to produce keema.
The word ultimately comes from the Turkic word qıyma meaning 'minced meat', and is thus related to the Persian qeyme, Turkish kıyma, and Greek kimás
REFERENCES
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calories-in-chicken#other-cuts
https://www.chicken.ca/chicken-school/v/foods-to-consider-for-a-low-glycemic-diet
https://mymeatup.org/content/nutritionNUTRITIVEVALUE