Mutton Varattiyathu

Ingredients:

To pressure cook:
Mutton                --   1 lb (½ kg)
Green Chillies   --   4 - 5
Ginger                 --   2 inch piece
Garlic                  --   4 - 5 medium cloves
Onion                  --   1 medium size
Salt                      --   to taste

To saute:
Shallots / Pearl Onions --   ¾ cup finely sliced
Green Chillies                    --   2 - 3
Curry leaves                      --   2 springs
Coconut Slices                  --   as required
Turmeric Powder           --   ¼ tsp
Chilly Powder                  --   2 tsp
Coriander Powder         --   4 tsp
Salt                                       --   to taste
Coconut Oil                       --   2 ½ tbsp

Masala powder:
Fennel seeds                    --   1 tbsp
Cinnamon sticks            --   5 -6, 1 inch piece
Cardamom                       --  1
Cloves                                --  2
Whole Black Pepper    --  ½ tbsp

Preparation:

Cut and clean the meat well. Marinate it with the slit green chillies, finely chopped ginger, finely chopped garlic, chopped onions and salt. Keep it aside for 15 - 20 min. Pressure cook until done.

Meanwhile, grind the whole spices to make the masala powder.

In a thick bottomed pan, heat oil and saute the sliced shallots and green chillies until the onions are translucent. Add the coconut slices and the curry leaves, leaving a few curry leaves to garnish at the end. Saute for a minute or two. Now add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder. Saute on low flame until the powders are roasted well with the onions. Make sure that you do not burn the powders.

       

Now add the masala powder, leaving a pinch for final garnish. Mix it well with others on low flame.

Now add the cooked meat to this masala along with the water obtained on cooking.If there is no water, add a little water along with the meat. Coat the meat well with the masala. Cook covered until it comes to a boil on a medium flame. Adjust the salt level at this stage.

    

I love to cook the dish until this stage and then leave it in the refrigerator and do the rest the next day. This helps the masala to blend well into the meat. Also at times, I remove the extra fat that forms on the top of the gravy on cooling. Just trying to eat healthy ;)

Then let it be on a low flame and roast the meat, stirring occasionally until it is dried as required. Few minutes before switching off the flame, add the remaining curry leaves and masala powder. Optionally add a tbsp of coconut oil and mix well. The final garnishing leave a nice aroma.

Serve hot with rice or appam or pathiri.

Receipe Courtesy: Mishmash