The last time I went to the famous Karim’s near Jama Masjid, I was floored by the taste of their mutton curry. Last Sunday I tried to recreate the same flavor and experience along with some self-introduced improvisation. With all the praises on home front, I guess I succeeded and felt very close to the mark, if not already there. So, I thought of sharing the recipe with you all.
Karim's at home
Ingredients
- Mutton: 1 kg cleaned and diced
- Curd: 2 tbsp
- Onions: 4 big, finely chopped/paste
- Tomatoes: 1 medium, finely chopped
- Potatoes: 3 medium, cut into 4 cubes
- Coriander leaves: A small bunch, chopped
- Green chillies: 4, sliced/paste
- Ginger: half inch piece, paste
- Garlic: 4 flakes, paste
- Chilly powder: 3 tbsp
- Turmeric powder (haldi): 2 tbsp
- Coriander (dhaniya) powder: 2 tbsp
- Cumin (jeera) powder: 2 tbsp
- Red chillies: 4
- Black peppercorns: 5 to 6
- Cumin seeds (saboot jeera): 1 tbsp
- Carom seeds (ajwain): half tbsp
- Coriander seeds (saboot dhaniya): 1 tsp
- Clove (laung): 2
- Cinnamon (dalchini): 1 piece
- Green Cardamom (small elaichi): 3
- Black Cardamom (big elaichi): 3
- Poppy seeds (khaskhas): 2 tbsp
- Garam Masala: A pinch
- Salt: To taste
- Water: 2 to 3 cups
- Mustard/refined oil : 1 cup
How to cook
- Marinate the mutton with 2 tbsp onion paste, curd, 1 tbsp each of chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chillies, 2 tbsp mustard oil and required salt. Mix well and leave for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Roast red chillies, coriander seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, carom seeds, coriander seeds, 2 green cardamoms, 2 black cardamoms, and poppy seeds separately on a tava. Mix all the roasted ingredients and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel or deep kadai and half fry the potatoes for 2-3 minutes. Keep aside.
- Add cloves, cinnamon stick and remaining green and black cardamoms in the oil and sauté for 30 seconds. A nice aroma appears. To this, add remaining onions and fry until golden brown.
- Add remaining turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add marinated mutton and the roasted masala paste. Cook on slow fire till the mutton become absolutely dry with thick gravy and the oil separates (approx 10-15 minutes). Also, the color will change to a darker shade of brown.
- Add potatoes and pour 2 cups of water. Cover the vessel and cook on low heat for 30 another minutes or till the mutton is turns soft.
- You may also carry out this process in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes or 3 whistles.
- Dry up the water if you want a thicker gravy.
- Sprinkle garam masalaand garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or soft rotis.
Dry Mutton with thick gravy
