Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa

Ingredients

• 800g mutton on the bone, cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 litre water
• 100g fresh coconut, grated
• 3 onions, two sliced and one roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 6 black peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp white poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
• 6 tbsp oil
• 3 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp hot red chilli powder
• 2 tsp kanda lasun masala (Kolhapuri masala)
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Before you cook

• Rub the mutton with the turmeric and 1 teaspoon of the salt and leave it for 20 minutes.
• Grate the coconut and slice two of the onions thinly.
• Roughly chop the third onion for the masala base.

Steps

1. Pressure cook the mutton with 1 litre of water for 5 whistles, or simmer it covered for 60 minutes, until tender.
2. Strain the meat from the stock and keep both, because the stock is the body of the rassa.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the sliced onions for 12 minutes until dark brown.
4. Add the grated coconut to the same pan and roast it for 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until it turns nutty brown.
5. Add the coriander seeds, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and poppy seeds and toast for 1 minute.
6. Tip everything onto a plate and let it cool completely.
7. Blend the cooled mixture with a splash of water into a very smooth, dark paste.
8. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and fry the chopped onion for 6 minutes.
9. Stir in the ginger and garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
10. Add both chilli powders and the kanda lasun masala and fry for 30 seconds, stirring hard so nothing catches.
11. Add the ground coconut paste and fry for 8 minutes, until the oil rises to the surface in red beads.
12. Add the cooked mutton and turn it through the masala for 3 minutes.
13. Pour in all the reserved stock and enough hot water to make a thin, soupy gravy.
14. Season with the remaining salt and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until a slick of red oil floats on top.
15. Scatter with coriander and serve in bowls with rice bhakri, plus a second bowl of plain stock to cool your mouth between spoonfuls.