Simple mutton curry

sumptuous mutton curry, easiest to make and heartiest in taste! Perfect dish to make on a winter Sunday!

This recipe is by my mother-in-law who is an amazing cook. My husband’s side of the family is CKP, and ever since I found that fact out, I was always excited that I would get to learn about a whole new cuisine! CKP cuisine is known for their delicious, dishes, particularly non-vegetarian. I don’t know whether this recipe is an authentic CKP-style recipe – readers, feel free to authenticate. But yes its a CKP family recipe and its a household favorite!

I personally do not eat mutton, I am just not a fan, however, my husband and father love it, so I love making it!

One thing that has bothered me for a while now, is incorrect recipes posted out there. I take posting recipes very seriously and put a lot of effort in sincerely making sure that any recipe I publish is tried and tested and the pictures are authentic – taken as I make the dish myself. I have seen very closely dishonest recipes being published, and it disappoints me more than anything in the blogging world. Sorry for blabbering, but this had to be said!

Here’s to an authentic recipe, that you have very little chance of going wrong with 🙂

You will need:

3/4 kg of mutton cut into small pieces, washed, cleaned and drained. I am bad at buying mutton.

For marination:

1/2 – 3/4 cup of yogurt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

salt

dry spice mix (recipe below)

1 big onion – diced

2 tomatoes – diced

2 inch piece of ginger

8 cloves of garlic

1 big onion – finely chopped

3-4 tbsp ghee

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

For the fresh spice mix:

Lightly toast in a pan – 3 cloves, 2 small pieces of cinnamon, 2 cardamom pods and 7-8 black peppercorns. In the end add some poppy seed and turn off the heat.

To this add grated nutmeg – one whole or half depending on the size of the nut. I used a small one (as you can see in the picture), so I added one whole. Nutmeg is a great flavor to pair with goat meat.

Grind all the spices together. You can make more of this masala and store it in an airtight container. I like to store the container in the fridge, to preserve the aromas even better. But this recipe is enough for the 3/4 kg goat meat, you will need almost all of it.

Procedure for the curry:

• Marinate the mutton with yogurt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt and keep aside covered for half an hour. You can also keep this marinated for a longer time in the fridge.

• In a grinder, grind the diced onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Feel free to add a little salt.

• In a pressure cooker, heat 3-4 tablespoons of ghee. If you’re using butter, use a little more to account for the water content. To this add hing and the finely chopped onion and fry till its golden brown.
• To the fried onion add the onion-tomato paste and saute until oil starts leaving. Sorry these pictures are taken in bad lighting in a dark cooker with lots of steam, fogging my camera.

• To the gravy, add the marinated mutton and mix well.
• Close the pressure cooker and cook for 4 whistles. Depending on the quantity of the mutton you are cooking and the size of the cooker you might need more whistles on low-medium heat.
• Once the whistles are done, turn of the heat and wait till the pressure releases naturally.
• Open the cooker and add the dry spice mix. simmer on low heat for a few minutes. This is the point to adjust salt and chilli powder as needed. I sometimes like to add a couple slit green chillies towards the end, to add extra zing.

• Garnish with cilantro and serve with Bhakri or Indrayani rice with raw onion and lime on the side.