Erachi Varattiyathu/ Mutton Masala Curry

I don't think I've to even say that the first half of the year is gone! Phew... that was too fast!!! In the process, we are growing older... I don't think I have to focus much on that point, right? :)

OK, so off to the curry that I paired the Neypathal with. There is one book in my kitty that I always run to for "thani" Malabar cooking - "Malabar Muslim Cookery" by Ummi Abdullah. I had ordered this book through Flipkart a few months ago and then had it transported to Dubai through one of our constantly flowing relative-family friend gangs - one advantage of living in Dubai, you see.... Since then, this book has been my go-along for any emergency situation. There is nothing fancy in this book - nothing, in fact. There are no pictures at all, it's all in black and white and if there are some illustrations, they are hand drawn! The book looks really boring, but believe me, the recipes in it aren't. One thing I really realized is that some food that my umma makes had names that I never knew!!! Isn't that a discovery in itself? :) So any of you wanting to make Malabari food, I would really recommend having a copy of it...

Even though the curry is so much in line with how my umma makes, I referred to the book for getting the quantities from the approximates, and adjusted it as per our tastes. I don't have to say, with what speed the Neypathals and the curry vanished!!! ;)

Erachi Varattiyathu/ Mutton Masala Curry
Serves 3-4
Recipe adapted from "Malabar Muslim Cookery"


Ingredients:

500 gm mutton with bones, washed 
1 tbsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 large onions, sliced
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
4 green chillies
3/4 tsp fennel seeds
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp garam masala powder
3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp sugar

Method:

Heat oil in the pressure cooker. Saute the onions till it becomes lightly brown. Meanwhile, grind the green chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste, coriander powder and fennel seed with a little water till it becomes like a paste. 

Once the onions are browned, add the paste, chilli powder and turmeric powder and saute till the raw smell goes. Add the tomato and saute for a couple of minutes. Now add the washed mutton and salt, combine well till the masala gets coated. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for a couple of whistles. Lower the flame and leave for 5 minutes. Now switch off the flame and leave for the pressure to go by itself. 

Open the lid, switch on the flame and put on simmer. Add the garam masala, sugar and coriander leaves and give it one last mix. Serve with chappathi or rice!

Notes:

The curry will just have the mutton stock in it. If you want it more thicker, just keep on simmer till all the stock is dried. 

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