Mutton Curry - Our Family Recipe

I guess every family has a recipe that is a favourite with all their friends. When we invite our friend home, they always want to know if mutton is on the menu!!!!

So to keep up the tradition, my brother and I have also learned to make it the same way..usually, whenever I get a recipe, I would put my twist on things, but this is one recipe that I do exactly the same everytime...

So here goes...

Mutton - 1 kg (cut, cleaned)
Marinate the mutton in 1/2 a cup of curd and salt to taste. Keep for 1 hour or more

Bay leaves - 2 nos (whole)
Onions - 3 large (slice)
Green chillies - 5 (slit)
Garlic - 1 full pod (slice)
Ginger - 1 and 1/2 inch (slice matchstick size)
Curry leaves - 1 handfull and more
Coriander leaves (chopped for garnish)
Tomatoes - 3 medium (sliced)

Dry roast on a low flame and grind coarsely,
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp (perum jeerakam)
Pepper corns - 1 tsp
Cinnamom - 1 inch pieces - 2 nos
Cardamom - 4 nos
Cloves -4 nos
Jathipathri (mace) - 1 small piece
Star Anise - 1/2

Mix together and add water to make a paste of
Coriander powder 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder 1and 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp



Heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil in a deep bottom pan, add the sliced onions and half of the curry leaves. Then add the bay leaves (optional). Once the onions are golden, add the sliced chillies, garlic and ginger, saute until the raw smell goes and by this time, the onions should start to brown.

Add the paste made out of the powders and saute on a medium flame till the oil starts to surface. Add tomatoes to this till they soften.

Now,add the marinated pieces of the mutton, hold the marinade. Once the meat is mixed well with the other ingredients, add the powdered garam masala, then the marinade. If you wish for more gravy, 1 cup of boiled water maybe added.I prefer not to add water. We sometimes add potatoes at this stage.

Wait till the gravy starts to boil, then lower the flame, cover well, and let it cook. When the meat is really tender, the oil floats on top. Check the salt at this stage and add more if needed.

Garnish with the rest of the curry leaves and coriander leaves. Put off the fire, leave the lid on half covered, and wait for 10 minutes..this is to let the flavour of the leaves steep.

Serve while still hot with parathas, Kuboos, chappatis, fried rice, etc etc..