Mutton curry, Kerala style

Mutton is the meat of sheep typically 3 years old. Traditionally, it is slow cooked in an earthen pot to become soft and tender, by fire. I put it together in the naadan Kerala style by first assembling the masala from scratch, including it with the mutton and pressure cooking it. The method does take a while, but the meat turned out juicy and ambrosian.

 The factors adding up to the succulent food,,

Mutton, curry cut pieces - 500g

Hot water - 1 and 1/2 cups

Olive oil - 1 Tbsp

Carom seeds - 1/2 tsp

Onion - 3

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 4 or 5 cloves

Green chili - 1

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tsp

Tomato - 1

Curry leaf - 2 or 3 sprigs

The technique..

Chop onion, garlic, ginger and chili into thin slices. Blend, in batches, into a coarse mixture. Warm up a saucepan and drizzle oil. When it becomes scorching hot, add carom seeds and a sprig of curry leaf. Then add in the ground concoction. Stir around for 20 minutes for the onion mix to turn light brown. Stir in salt, coriander powder and chili powder. Add in roughly cut up tomato and cook for 5 minutes more.

Wash and clean mutton pieces well. Add them into a pressure cooker along with cooked masala, rest of the curry leaves and hot water. Meld by stirring. Cook on low flame for 5 to 6 whistles. Remove lid and allow to slow cook for 5 more minutes.

The carte du jour includes tender and mouth-watering mutton, along with steamed basmati rice.