TANGY N HOT MUTTON CURRY

Today is my brother's birthday, he is extremely fond of Mutton. He shares his birthday with a great man of all times Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. It is a prescribed holiday in West Bengal. We always had a grand spread on this day. I miss him on the day. Since I cannot be with him, I prepared this dish for him on my last visit to Kolkata this winter. It was a pleasure to see him happy. There is nothing more satisfying than to see your loved ones enjoy your cooking. So far his birthday is concerned, the mamma's boy's mom and an extremely adorable wifey is there to take care of. Hence, I am at peace. 

Many a tangy-sweet memories are peeping in. We fought like two warring nations...two diagonally opposite characters... I am quiet and he is naughty sports loving person. Buttt....whenever anyone uttered anything against him....his ever protective sister was always standing before him...he was the one who cried inconsolably on the next day of my marriage, when I was leaving our parent's home to embrace a new life. A happy go lucky character, he is too fond of cricket and crazy about formula 1 races. 

Today is the marriage anniversary of T's sister too, wish them both happiness forever! My son & the man enjoys mutton, also the parents; so why not? This Mutton Curry I cooked without potatoes, Bengali Chicken or Mutton Curry usually have potatoes in them. We like to make it red and hot, hence use dry red chillies instead of green chillies. Tomato was not used in Bengali cooking. I read somewhere tomatoes were not used in Bengali cooking a century back and termed as 'biliti begun', meaning Foreign Eggplants.

INGREDIENTS :

Mutton : 1kg

Onion : 4 [big]

Tomato : 2 standard sized 

Garlic Paste : 2tbsp

Ginger Paste : 2tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1tsp

Dry Red Chilli Powder : 1tbsp

Bengali Garam Masala : 1/2tsp [ a powder made from of dry roasted cinnamon, green cardamom and cloves] [use 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp green cardamom, 2 pinch of cloves powders]

Lemon Juice : 1/2 small tea cup

Salt : As required

Turmeric : 1tbsp

Bayleaf : 1

Cinnamon Stick : 2-3 [1/2 inch size]

Green Cardamom : 3-4

Clove : 3-4

Oil[mustard] : 2 tbsp + 2tbsp for marination

METHOD :

Wash the mutton thoroughly. Get the juice from the 2 lemons. Make paste from garlic, ginger. Marinate the mutton with 2 tbsp oil, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp of ginger, garlic, red chilli+cumin+coriander powders, turmeric, salt. Keep marinated for an hour. Take  the mutton in a pressure cooker and pressure cook at minimal heat up to 1 whistle. Switch off the gas stove.

Wash, peel, slice onions. Heat oil in wok. Temper with bayleaf, whole garam masalas, add sliced onions. Fry at low heat until brown. Add the rest of the ginger, garlic, fry till the oil separates. 

Add salt, turmeric, sauté for a minute. Add the half cooked mutton with all of the curry. Stir & cover. Turn the heat to minimum. You have to remove cover, stir every 3-4 minutes. Do this until the gravy semi-dries. 

Wash, cut, add tomato, 2 cups warm water, cover cook at minimal heat! Stir, cover again. After 5-6 minutes, remove cover, add the garam masala powder, give a stir, cook for 2 minutes, switch off the gas stove.

Enjoy with plain rice or with your choice of bread!