Chettinad Mutton Chukka Varuval

Ingredients

• 800 g bone-in mutton or goat, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, for the marinade
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, for the marinade
• 1 tsp red chilli powder, for the marinade
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp sesame oil
• 45 shallots, sliced
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, for cooking
• 3 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder, for cooking
• 300 ml water
• 3 tbsp freshly grated coconut
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 2 cloves
• 2 cm cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small piece of kalpasi (stone flower)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, for the roast
• 1 tsp coarsely crushed black pepper
• 3 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Before you cook

• Rub the mutton with the turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder and half a teaspoon of the salt, then leave it for 30 minutes.
• Peel and slice the shallots and chop the tomato and garlic.
• Grind the grated coconut, one teaspoon of the fennel seeds and the poppy seeds with 3 tablespoons of water to a fine paste.

Steps

1. Heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in a pressure cooker and sear the marinated mutton over high heat for four minutes.
2. Add a third of the sliced shallots with the chopped garlic, turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder, the rest of the salt and 300 ml of water.
3. Close the cooker and cook for eight whistles on medium heat, then let the pressure drop naturally.
4. Lift the mutton out with a slotted spoon and keep the stock in the cooker.
5. Heat three tablespoons of sesame oil in a wide pan and add the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, the remaining fennel seeds and the kalpasi.
6. When they smell fragrant, after about thirty seconds, add the remaining shallots and two sprigs of curry leaves.
7. Fry for six minutes, until the shallots are deep golden.
8. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for one minute.
9. Add the tomato and cook for four minutes, until it collapses.
10. Stir in the coconut paste with the crushed pepper and fry for three minutes, until the paste darkens and smells nutty.
11. Pour in the reserved mutton stock and boil hard for eight minutes, until it reduces to a thick clinging masala.
12. Add the cooked mutton and turn the pieces over in the masala.
13. Roast on medium-low heat for twelve minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the masala dries onto the meat and the pieces look dark and glossy.
14. Squeeze over the lemon juice, scatter the last sprig of curry leaves and take the pan off the heat straight away.