Beef Ribs Chatpata

 India is full of road side eateries.  As you drive along, there are many food stalls with all sorts of delicious things being cooked on a open flame or on hot coals. When I was young, I had no qualms about walking up to these food stalls and picking up food - and eating straight off the banana leaf / news paper it was served on.  When I took my children back home, I did not really want to encourage them to do that as they were young and I did not want them to fall ill on our holidays.

But the road side food is very much part of my food make up - it is who I am and even now when I am there I pick up random goodies from road side eateries.

One of the things that I love is the beef chatpata - beef with the fat rendered and cooked in its own fat till it melts in the mouth. Hot, spicy and the original Indian "fast food".  Chatpata means fast as in quick; so here is my beef chatpata for you to try!

Ingredients:

8 to 10 pieces of Beef Short Ribs, washed and patted dry

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

salt to taste

1/2 cup or less of water

Method:

In a large iron skillet, place the washed ribs fat side down. Arrange them neatly and let it start to brown and the fat melt down.  Keep turning the rib pieces around till all the sides are evenly browned.

Add the ginger garlic paste and give a good mix. Next add the powders - except the pepper powder and chilli flakes and keep mixing it around.  Add water and let the beef cook.

When the beef is done and the flesh starts to fall off the ribs, add the pepper, give a good stir and take off the flame.

I served it with roasted pumpkin and steamed broccoli.