MUTTON PEPPER FRY

MUTTON PEPPER FRY.... thats what they called it at the restaurant. The memories of Cameron Highland tour is fresh in mind including the variety of food we had their. Discovering the foodie in us, our tour guide took us to an Indian restaurant on the third day and the rest of the story is that of supreme gastronomical delight. After a tour of the tea estates and strawberry farms, we were quite hungry and perhaps ordered food for 15 heads for just 9 of us. What did we not have....had a fusion platter....practically had this Mutton Pepper Fry with Peta bread accompanied by hummus. Our kids are also growing up to be foodie demons like their parents. I would highly recommend this restaurant 'The Curry House'....if you visit Cameron some day.

Besides the other mouthwatering dishes, I particularly liked this mutton pepper fry because it tasted very different from the usual Bengal mutton curry. It was a busy working hour, we were in a hurry, so I could not talk to the chef and ask him the recipe secret which I wished to. Back home, I tried it my own way, tasted good my men said.

INGREDIENTS :
Mutton : 500 gm[small cuts]
Lemon Juice : 6tbsp
Onion : 1 big
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Black Pepper Powder[coarse] : 2tbsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Fennel Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Curry Leaves : 8-10
Bay leaf : 1
Red Bell Pepper : 1[optional]
Oil : 3tbsp

METHOD :
Clean and wash the mutton pieces. Marinate with half of the ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice, salt and turmeric powder for at least 4 to 5 hours.

Peel, wash and slice the onion. Cut the bell pepper into cubes and wash. Wash the curry leaves.

Pressure cook the mutton up to 3 whistles at medium to low heat. Once cool open the lid.

At this stage we will reserve the juice of the mutton in a separate bowl to be used in soups or in curries later. This dish does not require it.

Heat oil in a wok. Temper with the bay leaf. Add the curry leaves and sliced onions. Fry till the onions are golden brown.

Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste. Fry till the spices separate from the oil. Add the coriander powder and fennel powder. Give a stir.

Add the mutton now and fold in well. Lower the heat and cover. Stir every 3 minutes.

Uncover after 10 minutes and add the bell pepper pieces, black pepper powder and salt as required.

Fold in well. Cook covered for another 5-8 minutes till the remaining water dries.

It goes very well with any type of South Asian flat bread!!