Mutton Chilli Roast

Name: Mutton Chilli Roast
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Andhra Pradesh
Ingredients: 750 g Mutton on the bone, curry cut; ½ tsp Turmeric; 1 tsp Salt; ¾ cup Water; 10 Guntur dried red chillies; 6 Kashmiri or byadgi dried chillies; 10 cloves Garlic; 1 inch Ginger; 1 tsp Coriander seeds; 1 tsp Cumin seeds; 1 tbsp Tamarind pulp; 5 tbsp Groundnut oil; 1 tsp Mustard seeds; 6 Dried red chillies, broken in half; 3 sprigs Curry leaves; 2 Medium onions, finely chopped; 1 tsp Garam masala; Salt to taste, to taste; 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

A fierce Andhra dry roast: tender mutton fried down in a paste of soaked Guntur chillies and garlic, then hit with a tempering of whole dried chillies and curry leaves.

Prep 20 min · Cook 50 min · Total 70 min + 20 min to soak the chillies · Serves 4

Ingredients

To cook the mutton

750 g Mutton on the bone, curry cut
½ tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Salt
¾ cup Water

Chilli paste

10 Guntur dried red chillies
6 Kashmiri or byadgi dried chillies
10 cloves Garlic
1 inch Ginger
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Tamarind pulp

Roast

5 tbsp Groundnut oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
6 Dried red chillies, broken in half
3 sprigs Curry leaves
2 Medium onions, finely chopped
1 tsp Garam masala
Salt to taste, to taste
2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

Soak the chillies. Cover all the chillies for the paste with hot water and leave for 20 minutes. For less heat, shake out some of the Guntur seeds first.
Cook the mutton. Pressure-cook the mutton with turmeric, salt and water to 4 whistles, then 10 minutes on low, and let the pressure drop naturally. On the stovetop, simmer covered for 60 to 75 minutes until tender. Keep the stock.
Grind the paste. Drain the chillies and grind them with the garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin and tamarind to a smooth, thick paste, using a few spoons of the mutton stock.
Temper and fry the onions. Heat the oil in a heavy kadai. Add the mustard seeds; when they pop, add the broken chillies and curry leaves for a few seconds, then the onions. Fry until golden.
Fry the paste. Add the chilli paste and fry on medium-low heat, stirring often, until it darkens, smells roasted rather than raw, and the oil floats to the top.
Roast. Add the mutton and its stock. Cook on high heat, stirring, until the liquid is gone, then keep roasting on medium until the masala clings to every piece and turns a deep brick red. Add the garam masala, check the salt and scatter over the coriander.

Tips

Frying the chilli paste properly before the meat goes in is what stops it tasting harsh. Serve with plain rice and a bowl of curd or a cool raita on the table.