Mutton Curry/ Mutton jhol/ Mangsa jhol

Mutton curry...yumm.. It reminds me of my childhood. The very sound of Mangsa Jhola sends me right back to my mumma’s kitchen. Sssssssss I impatiently walked around the dining room as the  pressure cooker hissed & whistled, not once or twice but 4-5 times. With each whistle the appetizing aroma of the curry would trace the room , wafting in the air intensified. Mutton curry is the first thing that I learnt to cook from my Maa..  A Sunday Lunch menu, it was a tradition to have mutton jhol & steamed white rice for Sunday lunch..

 I have a lovely husband who is ever ready for mutton and plain rice...I see my husband also doing the same; he will keep asking every half a minute if meal is ready. So it makes all the more fun to have it. I could smell the aroma while writing the blog. This is heavenly. My husband & I both are from ODISHA J ...mutton curry we call it mangsa jhola.... The flavours are fantastic...I love spicy cooking once in a week. Its not only mouth watering and makes you feel like you ate a hearty meal. However cooking the normal way takes a little longer and its adds more to the flavours. Soo friendsssss  wit out much ado lets start the recipeJ ...

Ingredients:

Mutton    1 lb/ 500 gram         

Large size Potato 2 nos

Medium size onion- 2 nos Sliced

Onion paste 1 tblsp               

Garlic Paste- 1 table spoon   

Ginger Paste-1 tablespoon   

Red chili Powder- 1 tblspoon or as per your taste

Turmeric Powder-  1tsp        

Cumin Powder-Coriander Powder- 1tsp each        

Mustard oil/ refined oil  -3 tblsp     

1 tomato- chopped (optional)

1tblsp curd for marinating

salt as per your taste

1/2 tsp sugar

Whole Garam masala (2 bay leaves,  3 cardamoms, 2 inch long cinnamon, 2-3 cloves)          

Freshly grounded Garam masala ( powder of cinnamon, cardamom)

Fresh coriander leaves a handful

Method:

Wash and clean the mutton and trim the excess fat.  Marinate the mutton with 1 tsp turmeric, salt   , 1tblsp mustard oil & 1tblsp curd (Optional) .keep aside.

In the mean time cut the potatoes into halves and pan fry the same in a kadai with mustard oil. The potatoes will not be cooked but just take on a nice golden color. Do not cook further and keep aside.

Heat  a heavy bottom pan.  Add mustard oil into it.. Add slightly crushed bay leaf, cloves, cinnamons & cardamoms.

when they start spluttering , add 1/2 teaspoon sugar for nice colouring of curry , when sugar turns to golden brown add sliced onions .

Sauté for 1-2 min till the onions turns to golden brown in colour. 

Then add onion paste sauté for another 2-3 min.

Then add red chilly powder & ¼ tsp salt. Now add ginger garlic paste and go on stirring.

Add chopped tomatoes. Mix  well .saute for 5-6 min till tomatoes are blended well and oil begins to appear  out of the masala  & the masala colour changes to a darker shade...

Then add mutton. Add the dry masala and salt excluding the garam masala.

 Mix it all properly. Mutton will release a lot of water  so cook them with its own juice ..Stir the same continuously in medium  for about 30 minutes till all the water from the mutton evaporates  ..Now  add the potatoes & mix well. Then add 2 cups of water and cover with a lid.

Cook on a low flame for  40-45 mins. Keep stirring occasionally & check if the mutton is well cooked .

Or  When the mutton has lost its raw colouring and it smells nice you can transfer the whole thing to a pressure cooker along with the potatoes and cook it in the pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles.

Check the tenderness of the mutton. If you want it to be more soft, cook them  for some more time.

Add the freshly grounded garam masala powder.

Cover the lid immediately after adding the garam masala. switch off the flame & open the lid after 10 min. Mix the gravy properly. Garnish with coriander leaves.

 serve hot with steam rice, pollaus/ roti/naan/puri..etc.

Note: Tomatoes are not compulsory for this curry but If you are adding curd during marination  then don’t put tomatoes..

sending this to Show case - Whats in your Lunch Box hosted by http://divyasculinaryjourney.blogspot.com, Serve it Pressure Cooked/Slow cooked hosted by http://www.ohtastensee.com