MUTTON SAAGWALA

Mutton and Bengalis have a strong bond. We love to have it, perhaps, every Sunday, if only our health permitted. Also it got expensive! 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 taste of curry. When it comes to cooking mutton, we are too generous about using oil and spices. When have 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, our mother is unlike maximum of Bengalis when it comes to use of oil in cooking! She uses lot less of oil in cooking, cooks in slow fire for 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 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 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, 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 mutton. Marinate with salt, turmeric. Beat 150gm of yogurt and pour onto mutton. Mix well, refrigerate in sealed container overnight.

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

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

At this stage, add marinated mutton to spices along with marinade. Mix well. Lower gas level, 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 water dries almost , add spinach-yogurt-chilli paste. Fold in well, cover again. Add salt if required. 

After ten minutes, you will see oil separating from gravy. Add garam masala powder now. Stir well. Cover, cook for another 5 minutes. Add juice of a lemon. Switch off 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, pickle as sides.