This scrumptious spicy curry with tender pieces of mutton is all you need to enjoy your warm bowl of rice , rotis or parathas.
It’s a popular North Indian recipe authentic to Punjabi restaurants (Dhabas). The mutton is slow cooked to perfection in a paste of roasted whole spices sautéed in a sauce of tomatoes and onions, after marinating in a yogurt mix and shallow frying to lock in the flavours.
This dish is guaranteed to standout is any dinner.
Why is this recipe special?
. Authentic- I promise you that you’ll never want to go to an expensive north indian restaurant to experience the goodness of a perfectly made indian curry once you try making this in your kitchen .
. Spicy, hot & tangy- This dish has all the flavours you’ll drool for in an indian meat curry
. Techniques- The use of a combination of methods for cooking the meat-marinating, shallow frying, sautéing & slow cooking- helps the meat to retain softness, juiciness, tenderness & the sauce gets well infused with the meat .
How I developed this recipe?
Like every South Indian who has an admiration for North Indian cuisine because of how famous and rich it’s dishes are all around the world … and also because it’s usually North Indian dishes that are generally served in most of the indian restaurants as the refined version of Indian cuisine as a whole, I too had my experiments in my kitchen to please my family with home cooked North Indian dishes in an attempt to make them agree that the recipes that I come up with are as good as their restaurant versions. And guess what? I succeeded with a good enough number of recipes to add to the star list. This is one of it.What you’ll need-
. 1 kg chunky mutton pieces (shoulder/leg)
. 1/2 tablespoon Ginger paste
. 1/2 tablespoon Garlic paste
. 2 tsp Red chilli powder
. 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
. 1/2 cup yogurt
. 1/2 tablespoon raw papaya paste
. 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
. 1/2 tablespoon garlic paste
. 2 crushed green chilies
. 1.5 cups tomato puree
. 3 onions, finely sliced
. 2 cardamoms
. 3 cloves
. 1 inch cinnamon stick
. 1-2 bay leaves
. 1 or 2 dried red chilli es
. 1 tablespoon coriander powder
. 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
. 2 teaspoons ghee
. 1/3 cups sunflower oil
. 2 cups water
. 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
. 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried & crushed fenugreek leaves)
. 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
. 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
How to prepare-
. Marinate mutton pieces with salt, ginger -garlic pastes, red chilli powder, cumin powder, yogurt & papaya paste for a minimum of 2 hours .
. Heat oil & shallow fry the mutton pieces in oil for 8-10 minutes in a pan.
. Transfer this pieces into a vessel and temper cumin seeds after adding ghee to the same pan. Add whole spices along with the dried red chilies and sauté for a minute or 2.
. Add finely chopped ginger, crushed green chillies, onions, garlic paste & saute til onions are soft and golden.
. Now add coriander powder , turmeric powder and sauté till the raw smell of the powders are no more.
. Then you can add the tomato purée and mutton pieces. Mix this well adding the water. Cover and cook on medium flame for an hour. Once the mutton is cooked simmer uncovered until the right curry consistency is reached.
. Stir in chopped coriander and sprinkle with the garam masala powder.
. Temper the kasuri methi in a teaspoon of ghee and pour on top of the curry.
Notes, tips & serving suggestions-
. If you prefer your curry to be on a creamy side you can add 2 tablespoons of cashew paste or milk cream towards the end
. You are welcome to adjust the hotness of your curry by reducing or increasing the amount of red chilli powder in the recipe by 1 teaspoon less or more.
. Pour a spoon of cream or butter on top of the curry in a swirl to make it look more appetising before serving. Also chopped coriander on top.