Like most Maharashtrians, I've grown up in a home with a dedicated room used for storing spices, groceries and daily essentials that are required in the Kitchen. As a kid and sometimes even today, I have held hands of my mom, walking through those little lanes absolutely unfit for traffic. Being intoxicated by a strong whiff of whole spices, an extraordinary range of lentils basis prices and people from different walks of life buying, selling & introducing you to fresh, absolutely unmatched produce. Yes - it can be overwhelming for someone who is merely used to city traffic vs market chaos. But trust me, if you love cooking and are conscious of the produce you choose to make your meal. City Market in Bengaluru is a mecca of sensory pleasure.
Meat has been a staple diet in our house - we love it, period!! Tried going Vegan and terribly failed after 3 months - that's my "being veggie" saga. But of all the meats- the one that has always been a little tricky for me to cook, is mutton/goat's meat. But somehow Maharashtrian way of cooking mutton, wherein freshly, roasted spice mixes get latched on to this stringy flesh has always being my personal favourite. Give me a bowl of rice, simple dal or rasam and this Kohlapuri Mutton Sukka - my palette would be a happy soul, that's attained nirvana!!.
This recipe uses quite a number of whole spices, so don't get bogged down by the list of ingredients. Its simply mutton pieces cooked with coconut & a fresh spices paste.
INGREDIENTS:
500gms Mutton Chops
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1tsbp Turmeric powder
1.5 tbsp Chilli powder (adjsut as per preference)
Salt to taste
5 tbsp Refined Sunflower oil for cooking
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
For the spice paste:
1tbsp - Oil
1.5tsp - Coriander seeds
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
6 black cardamon pods
8 Cloves
1/2 cup - grated & roasted dry coconut
1tbsp - Poppy seeds
5 small onions, sliced and deep fried until golden brown
PROCEDURE
1. First get the spice paste ready by heating oil in a frying pan - saute the coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamons and cloves till fragrant. Ensure you do not burn the spices by doing this step on a low flame. Let it cool completely.
2. Combine the above fried whole spice mix, roasted coconut, poppy seeds and fried onions. Grind it into a fine, thick paste by using little water.
3. Wash the mutton pieces, mix it with the above spice paste. Add in ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to taste. Let this marinate for 1-2hrs, with a closed lid on.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add the marinated mutton, 1 to 1.5 cups of water, cook on low heat until the meat is completely cooked with occasional stirring. The gravy should completely dry up and spice paste should be sticking to mutton pieces like a coating.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, serve hot with flat breads or steam rice.
Do try out this easy recipe and post your feedback here.
Have a great week ahead!!