MUTTON SAAGWALA

Mutton and Bengalis have a very strong bond. We love to have it, perhaps, every Sunday, if only our health permitted. Hence, we cook it with all our love whenever we get it. We prefer mutton rather than lamb because we love the fat that we get in the mutton. It adds to the taste of the curry. When it comes to cooking mutton, we are too generous about using oil and spices. When have the Bengalis claimed themselves to be health freaks when it comes to food? Taste and Flavour of food are too important to us. And you know, we need to break rules at times, otherwise life gets monotonous.

However, out mother is unlike the maximum of the Bengalis when it comes to the use of oil in cooking! She uses a lot less of oil in cooking, cooks in slow fire for a longer period, never hurries! Everything in the kitchen is in her control! Her level of patience is commendable! But she is not in the habit of praising others, this is not a good habit! I have taken majorly from her & her mother, the hobby of cooking; we hardly use cooker in cooking, it is used to boil few stuffs! In my home, I of get mutton often, but growing up in a middle class home; Hilsa & Mutton; the two loves were not too frequent in our home, may be so the love for them did not die!

The recipe today, Mutton Saagwala is actually a North Indian cuisine, may be a recipe by the Punjabi community that those in Pakistan too cook! I had it a couple of time at the Kolkata restaurants, which is quite popular in the menu list there. It is a dish where mutton is cooked with spinach paste besides other spices. It is aromatic and yummy, to go mainly with Indian / South Asian breads or of any type if you wish so. Let's proceed with it. My recipe may not be authentic!

INGREDIENTS :

Mutton : 500 gm
Plain Yogurt : 150 gm + 3tbsp [beaten]
Onion : 2 big
Ginger paste : 1 tsp
Garlic paste : 2 tsp
Green Chilli : 5 ( adjust as per your requirement )
Kashmiri Mirch powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Salt : As per your taste.
Turmeric powder : 1/4 th tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Punjabi Garam Masala powder : 1/2 tsp
Spinach : 200 gm
Oil : 4 table spoon
Bay leaf : 1
Cumin seeds : 2 pinches
Juice of 1 lemon.

METHOD :

Wash the mutton. Marinate with the salt and turmeric. Beat 150gm of yogurt and pour onto the mutton. Mix well and refrigerate in a sealed container overnight.

Next morning take out the mutton. Slice the onions. Roughly chop the spinach discarding the roots. Wash thoroughly. Make a paste of the spinach along with the green chillies and 3tbsp yogurt in a blender. Garlic and ginger pastes should also be done.

Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with bay leaf and cumin seeds. Add the sliced onions. Fry till golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste. Fry well till the raw smell goes. Add salt, coriander powder, Kashmiri mirch powder. Keep stirring till the spices separate from the oil.

At this stage, add the marinated mutton to the spices along with the marinade. Mix very well. Lower the gas level and cover. Keep stirring every 5 minutes.

I prefer cooking mutton in wok instead of pressure cooking. Though it takes about 1 to 11/2 hr, it tastes great.

When the water dries almost , add the spinach- yogurt and chilli paste. Fold in well, cover again. Add salt if required. 

After ten minutes you will see oil separating from the gravy. Add the garam masala powder now. Stir well. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the juice of a lemon. Switch off the gas stove.

Your mutton saagwala / mutton with fresh spinach paste is ready to be served with pooris / parathas/ naan / steamed rice/ jeera rice. Enjoy your Sunday special lunch with some salads and pickle as sides.