U.P Style Desi Mutton

So we had some extra mutton in freezer and i was asked to cook some desi style mutton. So here is my desi (U.P) style mutton recipe. Hope you guys will like it.

Ingredients...

• mutton, curry cut (on bone, preferably from shoulders but any bony cuts would work fine) 300 gm
• a large potato with skin, scrubbed clean and cubed
• ginger julienne 2-3 tbsp
• sliced garlic cloves 1.5 tbsp
• thinly sliced onions 1 cup
• turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder 1 tbsp
• Cumin Powder 1 tsp
• Meat Masala 1 tsp
• salt to taste
• mustard oil 1/3 cup
• cumin seeds 1 tsp
• tejpatta 2-3 leaves*
• whole red chilies broken and seeds removed about 10 or to taste
• chopped coriander greens 2-3 tbsp or to taste

Method

• Heat mustard oil in a wide and thick base kadhai. Tip in the cumin seeds and wait till they crackle. Add the chopped ginger and garlic, saving 1/2 tbsp ginger julienne for garnish and let them fry for 30 seconds. Add Tejpatta, whole red chilies broken and seeds removed, and then add the sliced onions immediately. Add 1/2 tsp salt (more to be added later) and fry the onion till browned well.

*I added 4 cloves and one black cardamom at this step as well, the husband doen't like whole spices in his curries so I keep the whole spices minimal most of the times, You might like to add a stick of cinnamon too.

• The mutton will be added at this step, mix well with everything and keep turning the pieces to let them cook from all sides. This bhunoing process will go on for about 25 minutes on low flame so the mutton pieces keep browning slowly, absorbing the flavors of the ingredients. You might need to quench the dryness with a tbsp of water every now and then but keep the mixture dry all this while. Since the flame is low, you can do a few chores in the kitchen while the meat is cooking.

• Add the cubed potatoes and the powdered spices along with 2 tbs of water so the powdered spices do not get burnt and aromatic oils get absorbed into the half cooked mutton pieces. Keep the flame low and keep bhunoing for about 10 minutes more. Add salt and about a cup of water, cover the kadhai with a well fitting lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes or till the mutton gets completely cooked, the meat should be ready to fall off the bone, but should not be already detached from the bone.

• Adjust the consistency of the curry, add more water or dry up on higher flame if required. Check seasoning and adjust. Add the green coriander leaves and serve hot. The ginger julienne make a nice garnish, they taste great in the curry as well.