Mutton Stew For You

It has been a long break for I have been continuously looking into my own needs and my newborn's. Life has been exhaustive for which I could neither update my food blogging website nor come up with anything new so to speak. This emptiness in me had to be filled and thus here presented is the next mutton dish that leaves me craving for more. Try it out and you shall never regret.

Preparation requirements:

Mutton - 2 lbs

Carrots - 2

Onions - 2

Potatoes - 3/4

tomatoes - 1

Optional is all purpose flour - 2 tablespoons (for thickening)

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Boiling water - enough to immerse the mutton pieces in

Spices for tempering:

Whole spice mix (cardamom -3, cinnamon, 2 sticks, cloves - 4/5, peppercorns - 5/6, bay leaf - 1/2)

Marinade preparation requirements:

Mutton/goat meat

Turmeric powder - 2 teaspoons

Red chili powder/cayenne pepper for taste - 2 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 21/2 teaspoons

Cumin powder 2 teaspoons

Yoghurt - 2 tablespoons

Ginger garlic paste - 21/2 tablespoons each

Initially please ensure that you wash the mutton pieces well and keep them aside and procure the spice mixture for the marination process. We would need mutton pieces to be soaked in the spices listed right above this. I usually marinate the mutton the night before for it makes my life much easier and cooking it takes practically no time then. It is up to you what you decide but for me now with two kids and a busy domestic world I like to be proactive and do the prep work a night before.

Now for the cooking procedure ensure you have a thick bottomed pan or a big wok to begin the matters moving. A pressure cooker comes in very handy mostly. However, you can opt for cooking the mutton in a big skillet and then move matters to the pressure cooker once its half cooked through. Alternatively, I use a pressure cooker and turn on the fire and let it be warm enough to add some vegetable oil enough to coat it's bottom surface. Now add in the spices once oil is hot (whole spice mix listed above in the tempering section). As it releases aroma, put in the vegetables and mutton altogether with the rest of the spices and marinade, until the mutton is cooked through a little. Add boiling water to it and let it come to a good rolling boil after which add the salt in it. Go ahead and lower the gas to medium and put the lid on. Let it sit for seven whistles and pressure cooking is the easiest way to having mutton done till it falls off it's bones. Now is the right time to add the all purpose flour mixed with some warm water and check for lumps if any make sure its nicely soupy in consistency. Simmer for a little longer and finally you can switch off the flame. Sunday afternoon meal checked and sorted. Enjoy with a bowl of hot steaming rice as an accompaniment to this healthy robust dish.