Ingredients (Serves 6 – 8)
1. Mutton – 1 – 1.25 kg, cut into medium-small pieces
2. Whole spices – Cinnamon stick – 1 inch, cloves `4 – 5, cardamom – 4 – 5, whole black pepper corns – 1/2 tsp, star anise – 1 small
3. Onion – 1 large, thinly sliced (2 – 2.5 cups)
Ginger – 1 inch, thinly sliced (around 1.5 tbsp)
Garlic – 5 – 6, chopped (around 1 tbsp)
Green chilies – 5 – 6, slit
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Potato – 2 medium, cut into large cubes
4. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
5. Hot water – 3/4 cup
6. Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
7. Coconut oil – 2 tbsp + 2 tsp for seasoning
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilies – 1 – 2, broken
Curry leaves – A few
Shallots – 3, thinly sliced (optional)
8. Salt – To taste
Method
- Marinate mutton pieces with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Slightly crush the whole spices in a mortar and pestle (optional).
2. Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add whole spices and stir for a few seconds until fragrant. Then add sliced onion, little salt, ginger, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves, potato cubes and salt. Saute until onion turns transparent, about 3 minutes. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Saute for a minute and then add the mutton pieces, 3/4 cup hot water and enough salt. Mix well. Bring to a boil and cover with the pressure cooker lid. Pressure cook for 3 – 4 whistles depending on the toughness or tenderness of the meat. Switch off. Open after 10 – 15 minutes. Check for salt. Sprinkle 1/8 tsp pepper powder and a pinch of garam masala powder. Add 1 cup thick coconut milk, few curry leaves and cook for one minute over low heat. Do not boil. Switch off.
3. In a small pan, heat 2 tsp coconut oil. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chilies and curry leaves. Add thinly sliced shallots, if using and fry until golden. Pour over the prepared curry. Set aside for 10 minutes. This curry tends to get thick as it sits. It is one of my favorite mutton recipes..do give this a try! Serve with appam, kallappam, idiyappam, pathiri, porotta or chapathis.
Tips
1. The recipe of this curry is similar to that of mutton stew but it tastes different because I added turmeric powder, coriander powder, mustard seasoning etc. You can follow the same recipe for making mutton stew but avoid adding turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly powder and seasoning with mustard seeds (step 3). Instead of seasoning, add a tsp of coconut oil once the curry is done.
2. Also cut the potato into large cubes and saute them along with the onion, green chilies etc in coconut oil. This will enhance their taste and will prevent them from getting mashed up in the curry. In case the mutton cubes don’t get cooked after 4 whistles, remove the potato cubes to a plate and then pressure-cook for 1 – 2 whistles until the mutton cubes are completely cooked. Open the cooker, add potato cubes, thick coconut milk and then proceed with the recipe.
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