Is it just me or do we tend to consider celebratory cooking as time-consuming? Does “special cooking” means long and elaborate cooking?
Well, with this Mutton Fry recipe, you don't have to slog it in the kitchen to make something “special”. The prep time is very minimal and if you are using a pressure cooker to cook the meat, it comes together pretty fast.
I've noticed something over the years… when it comes to red meat (I'm a bit partial here, not much a fan of chicken) as long as you've good quality meat, half the job is done. The meat has so much flavour and you are using the spices just to accentuate its flavour.
This dish is a typical Kerala style meat fry recipe. Btw, if you are not a fan of Mutton, you can make it with Chicken as well (refer notes). You can have it with rice/appam/chapathi/puttu etc; We had it with some Jeera rice, raita and pappad.
Recipe adapted from “Flavours of The Spice Coast” by Mrs.K.M.Mathew
Here is the recipe…
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg Mutton, cut into medium size cubes (measured after cleaning)
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2.5 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1 small piece Cinnamon
- 3 Cardamom
- 3 Cloves
- 1/2 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 small – medium Onion (sliced)
- 10 Small/pearl onion (sliced)
- 2.5 tsp, each Crushed ginger & garlic
- 1/3 cup Coconut bits (thengakothu)
- To Temper
- 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
- 5-6 Small/pearl onion sliced
- 1 .5 tbsp + 1 tsp Coconut oil
- Curry leaves
- Salt
Instructions
- Grind together Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, peppercorns, cumin & fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon with 1/2 tbsp vinegar and 1.5 – 2 tbsp water to an almost smooth paste (it can be a bit coarse also)
- Marinate the cleaned mutton pieces with the above paste and salt for half an hour.
- Heat 1.5 tbsp oil (you can add more if you like) in a pressure cooker. Add sliced onion and pearl onions. Cook till it caramelises.
- Add crushed ginger and garlic, cook for 3-4 mins or till the raw smell goes.
- Add marinated mutton and coconut bits, mix well and cook on low flame for 3-4 mins. Add 1/2 – 3/4 cup hot water. Bring it to boil.
- Pressure cook the mutton till it's done (refer notes).
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a wide pan. Crackle mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and sliced pearl onion. Fry it till it browns.
- Add cooked mutton along with the gravy (if there is any). Mix well and cook on lowest flame till the gravy is dried and mutton pieces are coated well with masala.
