I feel unusually excited about curries at this time of the year. Generously spiced, red hued, boldly flavored curries are a different beast during winters, just waiting for rotis to be dunked in or rice to be mixed. These are the months that I reserve for time-consuming meat stews and long cooking processes. There is comfort in standing beside the stove preparing meals which warm up the heart and soul.
Couple of years back, I saw a chef talk about and prepare this fiery curry on a food show. All I remember is that he used simple day-to-day spices,grated in lots of garlic & doused the masala in yogurt to tame down the heat from all those dry chilies. Only after making it, did I realize what he meant when he said this curry is not for the faint hearted.
I did not grow up eating it, so I came up with from what I remembered & what suits our tastebuds.The sauce is fiery, though beautifully hued and the dash of ghee towards the end must.You really need mellow side dishes with this meal - plain dal tadka and lot of kachumber (sans the green chili) to wash it down. The intense flavors open up your appetite but you won't want to stop 🙂
The dish can be made a hot as or not as you want. I use a mixture of kashmiri chili powder for less heat but the intense color. You could go ahead and use super hit red chilli powder if you want it fiery!.Now, it is something which I would not make every now & then.Maybe once or twice a year - the flavors are excellent but hot! We drank so much water during dinner time but what a nirvana!
Mutton Red Curry (Lal Maas)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon mustard oil
- 1 cup onions sliced
- 1.5 mutton or goat meat or lamb
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ cup yogurt plain, thick and full fat
- 1.5 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1.5 tablespoon ghee
- cilantro chopped
Whole Spices
- 4 cloves
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 bay leaf
- 10-12 dried kashmiri red chilies please use mathania chillies if available
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed pot with lid, heat mustard oil till slightly smoky.
- Take off the heat and add cloves, black cardamom and bay leaf. Let crackle.
- Add the sliced onion and cook on medium till they turn brown. It will take 10-12 minutes for onions to brown on low medium heat.
- Once the onions have browned, add the mutton pieces, ginger and garlic and dried kashmiri chilies. Sprinkle the salt, red chili powder and turmeric powder.
- Saute the mutton uncovered for about 20 minutes till you see that its no more pink and the edges are getting browned.
- Reduce the heat to low, add 1 cup hot water to begin with and cover the pot.
- Let the mutton cook for the next 40 minutes to an hour on low medium heat. You will need to check a few times in between to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom and there is enough water for the meat to cook. Else add ½ cup or so as needed.
- Once the meat is tender, add the whisked yogurt. Slowly stir around and keep stirring so that the yogurt combines with masala and coats the mutton pieces. Let cook for another 8-10 minutes till you see a thickish and shiny masala coating the mutton.
- Finish the mutton with ghee and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with flatbreads.
Jan Scherders
Thanks !! What piece of mutton do you advise ?
Tanvi
Jan,
I use the leg cut, slightly expensive out here but not fibrous for sure.
Thanks
Rosa Mayland
A mouthwatering curry! So many flavors going on in there.
Cheers,
Rosa
Tanvi
Happy Holidays friend! Thanks for stopping by
Vaishali
I really enjoy reading your blog...especially when you reminisce about delhi, because I can also relate to that. Your recipes are really good. Somehow you don't cut corners and yet it sounds simple enough to try out. Thanks for sharing. Your knowledge about food is commendable.
Thanks
Tanvi
Vaishali,
I m so glad that you get it. My motive is to keep it traditional, the way it is supposed to be done but not complicate it. Thanks so much.
Deepa
I have seen many such lovely mutton curry and trust me you's is one of the best that I have seen. Excellent preparation.
Tanvi
Thanks Deepa. Hope you try it sometime.
Poornima
The curry looks incredible and I love the rich color. All that spice will kill me though:)Stunning shots
Tanvi
Thank you
spicesandpisces
It's very similar to Bengali goat meat curry except the ghee. I am sure the ghee will add an extra flavor to it. Looks very tempting. I do cook a lot of meat and stews in winter. It's the best season to indulge in those after all.
Tanvi
I think I have eaten Mangshor jhol at inlaws 🙂 Loved the use of potatoes in there.
spicesandpisces
Tanvi,
I like the potatoes in Mangshor jhol but they steal all theflavor. My husband likes the potatoes more than the meat. Are your in laws Bengali?
Tanvi
Yup, married a Mukherjee 🙂
spicesandpisces
🙂 Very much Bengali then.
Nik@ABrownTable
This looks hot and delicious, ideal for a cold day! Beautiful photos as always.
Lail | With A Spin
Curry is indeed not for the faint hearted. This mutton curry flavors are so similar to how we cook beef rezala. Looks spectacularly delicious.
Preiyanka
Thank you for sharing! I am have made this today and will let you know how it turned out!
By the way I am also married to a Bengali!
Preiyanka
Tanvi, It was just amazing, Very simple and easy to make but DELICIOUS! The ghee just adds another level of favour and aroma.
My Hubby loved it too!
Thanks once again!
Tanvi
So glad to know that Preiyanka. You are right,its such a simple recipe but oh so good.
Shema | LifeScoops
Look very delicious...love the "lal" color of the curry! amazing drool-worthy pictures too!
shreya
Its awesome !
Looking sooooooo delicious !
I must cook it !
Jan Scherders
hi Tanvi,
last week I made your Laal Maas and it was good. But one thing ... I expected it to be very fierce / hot but to be honest it was not 🙂 I thought that the Laal Maas dish has the reputation to be very hot ?
Tanvi
Yes you are right Jan.It is supposed to be very hot. I have written in the write up that I used kashmiri red chili powder (a much milder chill powder) to bring down the heat but keep the color. I think I should have written this a note in the recipe. Sorry abt that. Will update.
Jan Scherders
ah ....but would it not be an option to keep the kashmiri powder (for color) and raise the amount of red chili powder ? then you have a nice red (but also hot) dish 🙂
Tanvi
Yes totally. You can use kashmiri chill powder for color and normal red chili powder for heat! Or better yet get whole dried kashmiri chillies and powder them with seeds and all. Best option if you know what I mean 🙂
Jan Scherders
btw, I made it together with your tarka dal and kachumber salad. An excellent combination !!!
Tanvi
Oh yeah..dal laal maas and kachumber! Amazing together 🙂
currycular
I tried this at home with lamb. Mouth watering! It satisfied my craving for a good hot curry. Thanks!
Monty
Just made this today didn't turn out quite as red as the pics but still firery and delicious
Dr shipra
Need all updates of ur recipes