Spicy Mutton Curry

After a long time, I made a mutton dish this weekend. I've been restricting to buy mutton for more than a year now, however this week the local halal store triggered my craving for mutton. I was not intending to post this recipe when I made it, as I was just doing it as a quick toss recipe with very little time. But after seeing the finished gravy and enjoying it with some rice, I couldn't resist taking a picture of what was left and post it.

Though I adapted this recipe from a Andhra recipe book, this is very similar to my mother-in-law's recipe. Honestly, my mother-in-law used to make this dish just for me whenever I visit her place, as no one else is fond of mutton there. I enjoy this dish with idlis and parottas mostly. With a slight variation by adding some coconut paste and bit of tamarind paste at the end, this recipe can also be a converted to a mutton kuzhambu that you can enjoy with briyanis or plain rice.

Ingredients:

• Mutton pieces with bones - 1 lb
• Cinnamon - 1 inch pieces broken
• Cloves - 2
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Corriander powder - 3 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Onions - chopped - a handfull
• Curry leaves - a few
• Corrinader leaves - a handfull

For Paste1 :

• Ginger - 1 inch
• Garlic - 4 medium cloves
• G. Chillies - 2
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 1
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

For Paste2:

• Onions - 1 medium
• Tomatoes - 2 medium

Procedure:

• Make a coarse paste of all the ingredients under "for paste1". Set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, fry the onions until they change color. Add chopped tomatoes and fry until they lose shape. Cool and make a paste.
• Heat a tsp of oil in a pressure cooker, add paste2 and fry for a few mins.
• Add paste1 and fry until you get a nice aroma (about 5 mins)
• Now add the mutton pieces, chilli, turmeric, corriander and black pepper powders, salt and fry for 5 - 7 more mins.
• Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook together until the mutton is soft and cooked. The timings vary depending on the pressure cooker. Cook just about right without overcooking.
• Heat oil in another pan, season with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds. Add the handful of chopped onions, curry leaves and corriander leaves and fry until the onion become golden brown.
• Add it to the gravy and boil it for a few mins.

Enjoy hot with idlis, rotis or rice.