Mutton Made Easy

Today's posting is a special posting, it is especially for Ben in Prague and Sophia in New York...both special people who are making their way so very far from home. Ben wanted any simple curry and Sophia had asked me twice for a mutton recipe so I really hope that you guys give this recipe a go and its a success!

If you don't have a pressure cooker fret not!! Just boil some mutton with just enough water (ie. above the surface of the meat) in a deep pot with a good tight lid, leave it covered, add one cinnamon and one star anise and let it boil for at least 30 minutes, then drain the meat, PLEASE RESERVE THE STOCK.

Ingredients
1 kg Mutton pressured cooked and stock reserved
Grind to make one cup of ginger & garlic paste (just add some water to ginger and garlic and blend)
2 Big onions sliced
Curry leave
Cinnamon stick - 1
Star Anise - 2 broken
Cloves - 5
Cardamon - 3 broken
Fennel & Cumin - 1 tsp each
Potatoes
5 tablespoons of Chili Powder
3 tablespoons of Meat Powder
1 tsp each of Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and Fennel Powder


*Additional - 1 tsp each of cumin and black pepper, roasted and pounded (Garam Masala)

Method
In some oil, fry the Cinnamon, Star Anise, Cardamon, Cloves and Curry Leaves and quickly add the Onions and stir well. Then add the 1 tsp each of fennel and cumin and follow with the ginger garlic paste.


Then add the meat and stir well, follow this with all the powders, Meat, Chili, Coriander, Cumin and Fennel powders and stir well. Once it is well blended start adding the stock water a little at a time and keep stirring. You may want to add the potatoes in and more stock (up to the surface of the meat) stir and add enough salt and then close the lid and let it cook with the lid for about 20 mins. However stir the contents every 5 minutes or so, then after 20 minutes remove the lid and continue to cook until the potatoes are done, keep adding only the stock water as you cook. If you want a lot of curry add more stock or milk if you like.

When you have the meat and gravy to your desired consistency, add 1 1/2 tsps of the roasted pepper/cumin garam masala*.

Because this dish is very spicy Joe and I had this with some cucumber vinegar salad and some brinjal raita (with coconut milk)....it surely helps with the spiciness of the mutton!!