Cooking mutton on Fridays is unusual for me, but when a close friend visited Mumbai, he insisted on a delicious mutton dish at my place. I usually enjoy a rustic mutton curry with thin gravy (Rassa), but my guest prefers a thick gravy. So, I decided to make Mutton Chilli Fry with a “Saoji” twist, reflecting the Nagpur influence in me. Though I left Nagpur decades ago, that part of me remains. By blending the classic Mutton Chilli Fry with Saoji Masala, the result was extraordinary. As the weekend approaches, I thought it was the perfect time to share this flavorful, juicy mutton recipe with you. Happy cooking!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes ( depending on the quality of mutton )
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Mutton ( curry cut ) – 500 gm
Sesame Oil – 40 ml
Onion – 60 gm
Garlic – 1/2 pod
Cloves – 3 to 4
Turmeric – a pinch
Cumin – a pinch
Ginger – a small pod
Red Chillies – 10 gms
Tamarind – 20 gm
Saoji Masala -1 tsp
Salt -to taste
Method:
1 ) Clean meat and set aside.
2 ) Grind chillies, turmeric, ginger, cumin and half the onion.
3 ) Slice the remaining onions and set aside.
4 ) Heat oil and fry the onion and garlic lightly. Add powdered cloves and fry further.
5 ) Add mutton and ground spices. Fry further for five minutes. Cover the pan and cook on slow flame without water for 25 minutes.
6 ) Add hot water, salt and saoji masala. Cook on slow fire till meat is tender.
7 ) When meat is cooked, add tamarind pulp and let it cook for five minutes. Remove from flame and serve hot.