Mutton Rezala

 

          This is a traditional and a very popular Bengali style fragrant Mutton curry cooked in a creamy yogurt based gravy. There are many versions to this delicacy, but the end result is simply mouth watering. With a slight aroma coming from the rose water and the nutty flavour from the almond-Cashew paste, this is surely a connoisseurs delight. 

       

           It is yummy and mildly spiced. However, one thing is for sure - The taste is simply divine. Relish it with plain biryani, pulao, naan or Tandoori roti. So go ahead and give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Marination - 

• 500 gms. Mutton on bones, cubed
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. raw papaya paste
• salt to taste
• pinch of nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder

To grind - 

• 8-10 almonds, soaked for an hour
• 8-10 cashews, soaked for an hour
• 1/2 cup milk

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 whole dry red chilies
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 6 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 mace

Other ingredients - 

• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves to garnish 

           Grind the almonds and cashews along with the milk into a paste. Keep aside.

          Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients for 4-5 hours or preferably overnight.

          Heat oil and ghee in a cooker and temper with all the mentioned ingredients under "Tempering". Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the marinated mutton and simmer on a low flame till dry. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 15 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle.

          When it has cooled down, add the almond-cashew paste and green chilies. Mix everything well and simmer, covered for 5-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency. 

          Switch off the flame and add the rose water. Give it a stir and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain biryani, pulao, naan or tandoori roti. 

                     Marinate the mutton with all the ingredients for 4-5 hours or preferably 

                     overnight.

                   Heat oil & ghee in a cooker & temper with all the mentioned ingredients under                                 "Tempering". Sauté for a few seconds.

                                   Add the marinated mutton & simmer on low flame till dry. 

                    Add 1 cup water & pressure cook for 15 minutes on a low flame after the

                    first whistle.

                    Then add the almond-cashew paste & green chilies. Mix well & simmer, 

                    covered for 5-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency. 

                                Switch off the flame & add rose water. Give it a stir.

                                 Garnish with coriander leaves. 

                    Serve with steamed rice, plain biryani, pulao, naan or tandoori roti. 

Chicken Rezala

          This is a traditional and a very popular Bengali / Bangladeshi style fragrant chicken curry. It is cooked in a creamy and velvety yoghurt-cashew-milk based gravy. So with a mild aroma coming from the rose water and the nutty flavour from the cashew paste, this makes it a sure shahi dish and a connoisseurs delight.

           It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground pepper powder and the taste is simply divine. You can also add few whole red chilies to the tempering for a bit of a heat. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 500 gms. Chicken, curry cut
• 2 onions, blended into a paste
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup yogurt, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1" stick cinnamon
• 3 cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 1 cup milk
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tbsp. rose water
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Marinate chicken with onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt, salt to taste, cumin powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Blend the cashew and milk. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

           Add the chicken pieces from the marinade. Fry on a high flame for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining marinade and continue to fry for 4-5 minutes.

          Now add the milk-cashew nut paste and green chilies. Give it a stir and simmer, covered till the chicken turns soft and the gravy thickens. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add the rose water and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and serve with pulao, plain biryani, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or kulcha.

                   Marinate chicken with onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt & all dry 
                   spices overnight or min. 3-4 hours. Blend cashew & milk. Keep aside.

                   Heat oil & ghee. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom & cloves. 
                   Sauté for a few seconds. 

                  Add chicken pieces from the marinade. Fry on high flame for 2-3 minutes.

                 

                                 Add remaining marinade & continue to fry for 4-5 minutes.

                   Add milk-cashew paste & green chilies. Simmer, covered till chicken turns 
                   soft & the gravy thickens. 

                         When done, switch off flame & add rose water & coriander leaves. 

                      Serve with pulao, plain biryani, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or kulcha.

Chicken Vindaloo - Goan style

          This is a signature dish of Goa. Vindaloo is generally prepared with pork, but I tried with chicken instead. It turned out quite spicy and tangy, where the whole garam masala, peppercorns, vinegar and red chilies plays a dominant role. A little bit of sugar is added to balance the taste and flavour with some hint of sweetness.  

          This yummy dish is generally relished with Goan pav bread but it goes very well with any type of rice or Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Goan delicacy. 

          

• 500 gms. chicken, curry cut 
• 2 sliced onions
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1" ginger 
• 8-10 dry red chilies
• 10 peppercorns 
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds 
• 1/2 mace
• 2-3 green cardamoms 
• 4-5 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick 
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. sugar 
• salt to taste 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil 
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped 

            Soak all the whole spices in the vinegar for an hour. Then blend along with ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, sugar and salt into a smooth paste. Marinate the chicken with this paste overnight.

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. Now add the marinated chicken and cook, covered on a medium flame till all the moisture has evaporated. (Keep stirring at intervals).

          Add 1 cup water and mix well. Cover and simmer on a medium flame till the chicken is cooked and  gravy thickens till you get the desired consistency. (Adjust the water accordingly).

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain  biryani, paratha, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapati.

                   Soak whole spices in vinegar for an hour. Blend with ginger, garlic, turmeric                                     powder, sugar into a smooth paste. Marinate chicken with it overnight.

                                 Heat oil  & sauté onion till light brown. 

                                Add marinated chicken.

                                Cover and cook....

                                ..... till all moisture has evaporated.

                                  Add 1 cup water & give it a stir.

                                  Cover & simmer till chicken is cooked & gravy thickens.

            

                           When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. 

                                Serve with any type of rice or Indian flat bread. 

Kolhapuri Mutton Curry

          This is a very popular dish from the region of Kolhapur in Maharashtra. This place is known for its delicious, spicy and finger licking mutton recipes. So it is obviously not for any faint hearted. So for all the brave hearts, do try this awesome recipe in your kitchen by following a step by step pictorial recipe and relish it with naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or plain Biryani. 

Marination-

• 500 gms. mutton on bones, curry cut
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste

Dry roast & grind - 

• 2 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 5-6 cloves
• 10-12 peppercorns
• 3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 4-5 dry red chilies

Gravy - 

• 3 tbsp. oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1" ginger
• 3- 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Marinate the mutton for an hour with the ingredients mentioned. Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned for a minute or till you get an nice aroma. 

          Let it cool. Then grind into a fine powder. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the the onion, ginger and garlic till light brown. 

          Then add the tomatoes and continue to sauté till it is mashed. Set aside to cool. Then grind into a paste.

          Heat remaining oil and fry the marinated mutton till light brown. Now add the ground powder and the ground paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes till it is well combined.

          Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. (Water can be adjusted according to the consistency required).

          When done, garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with plain steamed rice, pulao, plain Biryani, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.






Note - This recipe calls for poppy seeds, which needs to be dry roasted along with other spices. But as it is not available here, I had to skip it.

                                 Marinate mutton for an hour with ingredients mentioned. 

                         Dry roast all ingredients mentioned for a minute or till you get 
                         an nice aroma. 

                                  Let it cool down & then grind into a powder. Keep aside.

                Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté onion, ginger & garlic till light brown. Add tomatoes 
                and continue to sauté till it is mashed. Set aside to cool. 

                                 Then grind into a paste.

                               Heat remaining oil & fry marinated mutton till light brown. 

                                  Now add ground powder & the ground paste. 

                                 Fry for 2-3 minutes till it is well combined.

                 Add 1 cup water & pressure cook for 20-25 min. on a low flame after the
                 first whistle. 

                  Garnish with coriander leaves & enjoy with hot steamed rice, pulao, plain 
                  Biryani, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.

Coconut Mutton Roast

          Here is an absolutely delicious dry mutton curry with lots of fresh grated coconut. It is a no-onion-ginger-garlic recipe. It might sound strange. Mutton cooked without these lifelines? But do try this recipe. You will simply love it. It can be relished with plain steamed rice, plain Biryani, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti. 

          You can also stuff them in parathas along with sliced onion, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves and mayo / hummus to make yummy rolls. They are simply an ideal lunch box meal (boneless to be used) or a wholesome snack too.

• 500 gms. mutton bones, cubed
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 3-4 tbsp. oil
• 1&1/2 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• coriander leaves, chopped red chilies, slice onion & lime wedges to garnish (opt)

          Pressure cook the mutton with 2 cups water and turmeric powder for 20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Separate the mutton from the stock and preserve the latter for later use. 

          Marinate the boiled mutton with salt to taste and yoghurt for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and add the red chili powder, coriander & cumin powder mixed with a little water into a paste.

          Saute on a medium flame till oil separates. Add the coconut and continue to fry for 1-2 minutes. 

          Now add the mutton and stir fry for some more time till the oil leaves the sides of the pan. When done, add lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves, etc. 

          Serve with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, plain Biryani, naan or tandoori roti.