Lucknowi-Style Mutton

This lucknowi style recipe is a page from my aunt’s diary. It’s mutton stewed in a marinade of onions, tomatoes and spices and cooked to a gravy.

Ingredients:

1. For marinade:
• Mutton, 400-450 g. , with bone
• Onions, 150 g, paste
• Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon
• Tomatoes, 4, medium-sized, pureed.
• Chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon
• Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon
• Sesame, 1/2 teaspoon, powdered
• Poppy seeds, 1/2 teaspoon, powdered
• Salt, 1 teaspoon, or to taste
2. For curry:
• Cooking oil, 4-5 tablespoons
• dry red chilli, 2, halved
• Cloves, 3-4
• Cinnamon, 1 stick
• Water, 1 & 1/2 cups
• garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander leaves, chopped,1-2 tablespoons

Method:

1. Into a large bowl, add all the ingredients for the marinade, mix well and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
2. Set your burner on medium and heat a large pot. Add oil, dry red chilli, cloves, cinnamon and marinated mutton (don’t skip the marinade).
3. Reduce over medium- high. Keep stirring at intervals. When reduced to half, lower the heat to medium-low, and continue to stir at intervals. Scrape and loosen the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Cook until oil begins to leae the sides of the pot.
4. Add water, and simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is fork tender.
5. Add garam masala and coriander leaves. Partially cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot with any Indian bread or rice.