Recipe- South Indian Style Mutton Kurma

Mutton kuruma is a South Indian-style kurma made with boned mutton, coconut, chillies and masalas and served with idlis, dosas and appam.

This mutton kuruma is popular in our home and we always prefer to have this with hot steamed idlis. Because of the lavish amount of coconut we use the taste gets better. The blend of cooked coconut chilli masala and mutton broth gives a burst of flavor to the gravy.

Ingredients

600 g Mutton (with bones)
1 tbsp GG paste
1 cup water
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Oil
1 cup Onions (or shallots)
1 tbsp Curry leaves
1 tbsp Mint leaves
½ cup Coconut pieces
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Peppercorns
3 Green chillies
2 tbsp Oil
1 Bay leaf
1 Cinnamon
1 tsp Fennel seeds
3 Cloves
1 Cardamom
1 Tomato
Curry leaves
1 Green chilli
1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Chilli powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder
1 Tsp Salt
½ tsp Garam masala
2 cups Water (approx.)

Method

* Wash the mutton pieces well with lots of water.

* Prepare ginger garlic paste if you don't have in your pantry. We need around two tablespoons of it. Hence make a paste out of 2 inches ginger piece and 12 garlic pods.

* Take washed mutton pieces in a right-sized pressure cooker.

* Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of salt.

* Next, add 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and a cup of water. Mix roughly.

* Close the lid and pressure cooker and cook for 6 to 8 whistles.

* Switch off and let the pressure settle naturally.

* Meanwhile, you can start making the masala pastes.

* In a small fry pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil.

* Saute a cup of chopped onion. If you have shallots please use them as they give extra taste to our mutton kurma.

* Fry onions in oil until golden brown stage.

* Add a tbsp of fresh curry leaves and a tbsp of mint leaves for flavor.

* Saute few seconds and switch off.

* Let this onion mix cool down and grind it coarsely. Keep aside.

* In a blender take 1/2 cup coconut, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds and 1 tsp of black peppercorns.

* Also, add 3 to 4 green chillies based on the size of the chillies and spice level preference. Add more or reduce accordingly.

* Also, add 5 cashews and blend them all into a fine paste by adding some water.

* Set aside.

* In a large cooking pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil.

* Saute these whole spices for a few seconds. I used 1 bay leaf, cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 1 cardamom and a tsp of fennel seeds.

* Next, add one chopped tomato and saute until soft.
Now add 1tbsp gg paste and the onion masala paste and mix well.

* Add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of chilli powder and 1 tsp of coriander powder.

* Saute for ten seconds and add the boiled mutton pieces along with the cooking water.

* Mix well and add a tsp of salt. Here please keep in mind that we have already added a tsp of salt while cooking the mutton. Hence use salt only as per your taste. You can taste and add accordingly.

* Cover with a lid and cook for five minutes.

* After five minutes, open the lid, add the coconut masala paste along with a cup of water.

* Mix well and cover with lid again and cook for five to ten minutes again.

* Add 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder at this stage. This is an optional step and you can avoid it if you don't like to use it.

* Cook until the bubbles settle completely and oil separates on top.

* Switch off and serve the delicious mutton kuruma with hot idlis, dosas and appam. This kurma is good to go with pooris as well.