For most Bengali households, Sundays are all about steaming mutton curry and white rice. The Bengali style of mutton curry should definitely have potatoes in it, and sometimes papaya too (papaya is a great tenderiser, and so the mutton gets cooked fast). According to experts, mutton tastes best when it is cooked on a low flame for a long time (for four to five hours). But then, for foodies like me who love the authentic taste of mutton curry, yet do not wish to pitch in all the time and effort that it requires, there are short-cuts to do it! So, here is my mother’s recipe for mutton curry, the way she cooks it, and the way I do as well. It turns out great everytime I cook it.

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 1 hour

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Mutton (Goat meat, curry cut) 1 kg

Yogurt 100 g

Raw papaya 100 g cut into cubes

Potatoes 5-6 large cut into halves

Onion 6-7 large, finely chopped

Garlic 5-6 cloves, finely chopped

Ginger and garlic paste 1 tablespoon

Tomatoes 4, pureed

Green chillies, finely chopped 1-2

Whole spices – bay leaf 2-3, cinnamon 1 inch, cloves 2-3, staranise 1-2, black pepper 4-5

Turmeric powder 2 teaspoons

Coriander powder 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala powder 1 teaspoon

Kashmiri red chilly powder 1 teaspoon (this is for the rich colour of the curry)

Ghee/ clarified butter 1 tablespoon

Mustard oil 1 tablespoon

Coriander leaves, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon

Sugar 1 teaspoon

Salt 2 tablespoon

Procedure:

Marinate the mutton pieces in yogurt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste in a covered bowl overnight (at least 6 hours) in the refrigerator. Now take the marinated mutton out of the refrigerator. Heat a large wok and add mustard oil. Add sugar (this is for caramelisation to give a beautiful colour to the curry). When it becomes smoky, lower the flame and add the whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, staranise and black pepper). Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry until the onion gets translucent. Add the potatoes and fry them for a minute. Now add the pureed tomatoes, and chopped green chillies followed by the marinated mutton. Keep stirring and increase the flame. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilly powder and salt. Add the papaya cubes. Keep stirring for 20-25 minutes, keeping it on high flame. After 25-30 minutes you should be able to see oil along the edges of the curry. This is when you need to stop the flame and transfer the contents of the wok into a pressure cooker. Add garam masala and a tablespoon of ghee, and a cup of water. Cover the lid of the pressure cooker and cook until 3-4 whistles. Remove from heat and your steaming mutton curry is ready to eat. You may add coriander leaves if you wish. This mutton curry is best paired with white rice or roti/ paratha/ flat bread.

Please do try this yummy mutton curry out sometime if you love mutton! Though it is bit on the spicy side, but that is the tastiest part of this high protein meal. I am sure you will not be disappointed! 🙂