Milky Mutton Curry

 

          Summer is here. So how about trying something light that is just perfect for this season? I introduce you to ...... Milky Mutton Curry, my take on an old Bengali recipe that is inspired by a confluence of cultures. Its uniqueness arises from being cooked in milk, thickened with sesame seeds paste and flavored with saffron, rose water and kewra, besides the usual seasonings. 

           I tried this out for the first time and it was really delicious. Would highly recommend all, to give this a shot. I assure, you will not be disappointed. Its thickened soupy texture allows you to enjoy it with whatever you like, whether its steamed or jeera rice or even naan or tandoori roti. So enjoy this dish to your heart's content for a weekend lunch or as a party recipe.

       

Marination - 

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, curry cut 
• 1/2 cup yoghurt 
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. green chili paste
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder

Other ingredients - 

2 tbsp. ghee

1 tbsp. oil

2 onions, sliced

1" cinnamon stick

2 green cardamoms 

4 cloves

2 tbsp. sesame seeds paste

2 green chilies, slit

1 cup milk

1 tsp. rose water

few drops of kewra essence

pinch of saffron

1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients overnight.

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai and fry one onion till golden brown. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. ghee and sauté the remaining onion till light brown. Add the marinated mutton and cook, covered till the oil separates. 

          Add 1 cup water and pressure cook till it is tender. Keep aside to cool down.

          Add the remaining ghee and temper with cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the cooked mutton and bring it to a boil. Add the sesame seeds paste and the slit green chilies. Simmer for 2 minutes.

          Then add the milk and give it a stir. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the rose water, saffron and kewra essence. Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving dish.

          Garnish with the coriander leaves and fried onion. Enjoy with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti. 

Mutton Oats Porridge

          Wish to make a non-veg. porridge for your dinner? Then try this one-pot delicacy with mutton cubes and some oats. It turns out real yummy and wholesome. An amazing dish where you can substitute mutton with any lean meat if you wish. 

          I also added tomato puree along with some basic seasonings to prepare this curried mutton oats porridge. Enjoy this great comfort food just as it is with a dash of lime or with some soup sticks. It is perfect for a light meal. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 250 gms. mutton with bones, cubed
• 1/2 cup oats, dry roasted
• 3-4 tomatoes, pureed
• 3 cups water
• 1" cinnamon
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 tbsp. oil / butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the mutton along with cinnamon, cardamoms and salt in 3 cups water for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Stir fry for a few seconds.

          Add the tomato puree and the roasted oats. Mix well and simmer for a minute. Add the mutton along with the stock. 

          Bring it to a boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes or till the soup thickens to a desired consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a light meal or enjoy whenever you wish.

                     Pressure cook mutton with cinnamon, cardamoms & salt in 3 cups water 
                     for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

                        Dry roast the oats for a minute.

                       Heat oil & sauté the onion till light brown. 

                     Add ginger-garlic paste & all dry spices mixed with some water. Stir fry
                     for a few seconds.

                      Add the tomato puree 

                      and the roasted oats. Mix well and simmer for a minute. 

                     Add mutton along with stock. Bring to a boil & simmer for 5-10 minutes
                     or till soup thickens to a desired consistency. 

                        Garnish with coriander leaves.

                                Serve as a light meal or enjoy whenever you wish.

Mutton Yakhni

          This is an authentic signature kashmiri dish. It is non-spicy and a mildly flavoured Mutton gravy cooked in yoghurt and other dry spices. The dominant flavour and aroma comes from the use of fennel and dry ginger powder. It has a soup based gravy which is best relished with pulao, plain steamed rice, naan or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this mouth-watering delicacy.

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, cut into medium pieces
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. fennel powder
• 1 tsp. sonth (dry ginger powder)
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted chickpea flour (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2" cinnamon sticks
• 4-5 green cardamoms
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. mint leaves, chopped / 1/2 tsp. dry mint leaves

          Pressure cook the mutton in 2 cups water for 20 minutes on a low flame after two whistles. Keep aside.

          Whisk together yoghurt, milk, salt, fennel powder, saunth, chickpea flour and cumin powder. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms. Add the yoghurt mix and simmer, stirring continuously on a low flame for 10-12 minutes.

          Add the boiled mutton along with the stock. Cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add the ghee and further simmer for 5 minutes. 

          Add the chopped mint and switch off the flame. Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao or naan / tandoori roti.





Tips--

1. Traditionally dry mint leaves powder is used. If you have, do use it. I added some chopped mint leaves as it was not available at that moment.

2. As this dish is non-spicy, you can add 2-3 green chilies to it.

                   Pressure cook mutton in 2 cups water for 20 minutes on a low flame after 
                   two whistles.

                    Whisk yoghurt, milk, salt, fennel powder, sonth, cumin powder & roasted
                    chickpea flour.

                                Heat oil & temper with bay leaves & whole garam masala.

                     Add yoghurt mix & simmer, by stirring for 10-12 minutes on a low flame.

                                Add boiled mutton & the stock.

                                Cover & simmer for 10 minutes, stirring at intervals.

                                Add ghee & simmer further for 5 minutes.

                                When done, add mint leaves & switch off the flame.

                                Serve hot with pulao, steamed rice, naan or tandoori roti.