Mutton Coconut Curry

This is my version for a mutton coconut curry which is a combination of Maharashtrian and Goan styles. My children are the xitt-kodi (rice & curry) types and they enjoy this curry with hot steaming rice. The curry is similar to the xacuti but is milder due to the addition of both coconut and coconut milk and the deletion of some regular xacuti spices. It is important that you use all the spices as mentioned to get the exact yummy flavour. As an exception, you could replace the Canacona red chillies with a similar spicy variety. Also this is not a quick recipe, but it is easy and worth the effort.

Serves: 8 Persons

Prep. Time: 50 Mins.

Cooking Time: 60 Mins.

Ingredients (1):

• Mutton (cut into medium sized pieces) – 1 ¼ Kg.
• Hirwa Watan (see here)– 2 ½ tbsp.
• Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp.
• Lime – 1 ½ medium
• Salt – 1 ½ tsp or to taste

Step 1:     Wash the mutton and drain well. Apply the hirwa watan, turmeric Powder, salt and the juice of the limes to the mutton and mix well. Leave aside to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

Ingredients (2):

• Red Chillies (Canacona) – 20 to 22
• Corriander Seeds – 2 tbsp.
• Cloves – 12 to 14
• Green Cardamoms – 2
• Black Pepper Corns – 18 to 20
• Jeera – 1 tsp.
• Shahi Jeera – ½ tsp.
• Fennel Seeds – ½ tbsp.
• Poppy Seeds – ½ tbsp.
• Cinnamon – 1 inch
• Garlic – 10 cloves
• Oil – 1 tsp.

Step 2:     Heat a tsp. of oil in a pan and roast each ingredient / spice separately, one at a time, on low heat, till they emit their respective aromas. Be careful not to burn them. Transfer each of them to a plate and allow them to cool.

Step 3:     Once the spices have cooled, grind all of them to a smooth paste using a little water and keep aside.

Ingredients (3):

• Dry Coconut (kopra) – 100 gms.
• Onion – 1 medium
• Oil – 1 tsp.

Step 4:     Slice the kopra into small pieces and roast them in the same pan used above till light brown. Use 1 tsp. oil and low heat (be careful, as the kopra burns out quickly and we do not want that).

Step 5:     Roast the onion on an open flame till the dry skin is charred. Remove the charred skin and chop into four to 5 pieces.

Step 6:     Grind the roasted coconut and onion to a smooth paste using a little water and leave aside.

Ingredients (4):

• Fresh Coconut (grated) – 1 small
• Warm Water – 400 ml.

Step 7:     Grind the coconut with the water extract the coconut milk only once and keep aside (see extracting coconut milk for procedure).

Ingredients (5):

• Onions – 2 small
• Green Corriander Leaves (chopped) – 2 tbsp.
• Stock Cubes (dissolved in 400 ml. warm water) – 2 small
• Ghee – 1 ½ tbsp.
• Oil – 1 ½ tbsp.

Step 8:     Heat the oil and ghee in a pressure cooker and add the sliced onions. Fry till light golden and then add the marinated mutton. Sauté on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Next add the stock and attach the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook on high heat till one whistle and then lower the heat and cook for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on your cut of meat).

Step 9:     Open the pressure cooker when the pressure drops and continue cooking in the same vessel or transfer to another one. Add the ground masala [ingredients (2)] and cook covered with a lid for 8 to 10 minutes on low heat.

Step 10:     Add the second ground masala [ingredients (3)] and cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 11:     Finally add the coconut milk and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat. When done, garnish with green corriander.