History tells us that Hindu-Muslim discord and India-Pakistan hostility are inter-

connected. Indeed, India’s blood-soaked partition in 1947, and the establishment of

Pakistan as a separate "Muslim Nation", was the culmination of the failure of our
anti-British struggle to find a common and acceptable constitutional framework,
which could accommodate the concerns and aspirations of the two major communities
that resided in this ancient land for centuries.

But history also tells us that wise and valorous efforts were made by farsighted
leaders belonging to both communities for reconciliation of differences and
construction of a future of amicable co-existence. It is by revisiting their
inspiring legacies and learning the right lessons from those chapters of history
that we can find pathways to Hindu-Muslim amity and India-Pakistan good-
neighbourliness.

One such important chapter presents the tale of a close comradeship between Quaid-
i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920). August 1
marks the death centenary of Tilak, who was the tallest Congress leader before the
advent of the Mahatma Gandhi era. In the history of India’s freedom movement, we
see two milestones when Hindu-Muslim cooperation reached its zenith. One was the
1857 War of Independence, when Hindus and Muslims fought shoulder-to-shoulder —
from Peshawar to Dhaka — against the rapacious rule of the East India Company. The
other was the Lucknow Pact between the Congress and the Muslim League in December
1916. The principal architects of this pact were Tilak and Jinnah. Had the spirit
of that pact endured, the outcome of the freedom struggle would have been different
— and better.

Such was Tilak’s standing in India’s political life that Edwin Samuel Montagu,
British Secretary of State for India between 1917 and 1922, said, "Tilak is at the
moment probably the most powerful man in India". Sir Ignatius Valentine Chirol, a
British journalist who passionately defended the British empire, and had
maliciously attacked Tilak, had called him the "father of Indian unrest".

Namkeen gosht
Ingredients
1 kg goat leg, cut in small cubes
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons freshly chopped ginger
½ to 1 freshly diced tomato
4 to 5 green chillies, slit lengthwise, (optional, but preferable, this gives it a
real kick)
½ tsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
¼ to ½ cup oil, but with freshly slaughtered meat the animal fat should suffice
Method
Heat oil in a heavy-lidded wok. Fry green chillies and ginger for a minute, adding
meat, salt, tomato and black pepper, stir on high heat for a few minutes, until the
heat causes the meat to release juices. Seal pot with lid and simmer on low to
medium heat for a few minutes, turning the heat to low and cook until meat is
tender and falling off the bone.

The meat juices gradually steam and evaporate, sealing in the juices. Slow cook to
perfection. Avoid adding water if possible but, if need arises, add a little water
to complete the cooking process.

Serve with naan, lemon wedges and sliced onions.

Raan roast
Ingredients
At least 3 kg to 4 kg goat leg. Wash it thoroughly and make deep cuts and set aside
Marinade
4 tablespoons each minced ginger and garlic
Crushed red pepper according to taste
Salt to taste
8 crushed green chillies
2 teaspoons Kashmiri Mirch powder
½ cup lemon juice
1 packet, any pre-packaged store bought dry barbecue masala, tikka masala, qorma
masala
½ cup oil
1 tablespoon turmeric
Method
Mix marinade in a bowl. Taste marinade to ensure flavour is according to taste, the
flavour of the marinade is what the taste of the gravy will be like. Rub marinade
on to the goat leg massaging it well and ensuring that the marinade has penetrated
into the cuts on the goat leg.

Cover and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 36 hours. Preheat oven at 450
degrees, pour two to three cups of beef stock onto the goat leg, for moisture, seal
with foil and bake for an hour and a half. Remove the pan from the oven, adding red
onions sliced in rings, sliced green chillies, six large tomatoes cut in fours and
garlic cloves.

Set oven temperature at 400 degrees and bake for another two hours. Important note:
check every 30 minutes for tenderness and appearance of goat leg.

Once the meat starts separating from the bone the leg is done. Serve as a
centrepiece at your dinner party, it’s a sure shot hit.

Shahi qorma
Ingredients (serves 6 to 8)
3/4 cup oil
1 ½ kg mutton or chicken
1 teaspoon heaped, finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon heaped, finely chopped fresh garlic
3 medium-sized onions (finely sliced)
2 or 3 cinnamon sticks
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
2 or 3 black cardamoms
14 to 16 green cardamoms, split
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kewrra water
2 to 3 tablespoons almonds (optional)
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder
1/4 cup yoghurt
7 to 8 cup water if cooking mutton; 2 to 3 cups if cooking chicken
Method
Heat oil, fry onions until golden brown, drain onions and set aside. In the same
oil fry whole garam masalas and green cardamom for a couple of minutes, adding
meat.

Maintaining high heat, fry meat, and add ginger, garlic, yoghurt, powdered masalas,
salt and fried onions. Braise meat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly. In a
separate pan, bring water to boil and add to the meat, let the qorma boil for a few
minutes and then lower the heat to medium.

Let cook, add bay leaves and kewrra water. Once the curry thickens, meat becomes
tender and oil separates, your qorma is ready to be served.

Optional: Garnish with fried almonds once qorma is cooked or add blanched almonds
to qorma 15 minutes before taking off the fire.

Originally published in Dawn, EOS, August 11th, 2019

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