Mutton er Jhol

The Sunday afternoon meal of a true Bengali is all about this mutton er jhol or mutton curry

Mutton er jhol or Mutton Curry for a Bengali is not just food, its so much more . It is the culmination of all things glorious, nostalgic and happy in his world . Mutton curry is like the umbilical cord between every Bengali and the Bengal . You do not cook bad mutton curry if your a Bengali . For the uninitiated let me explain this mammoth of a dish . Mutton chunks and halved potatoes are slow cooked with whole garam masalas in a fiery red and sinfully hot gravy of onion, garlic, ginger and tomato . The Sunday afternoon meal of a true Bengali is all about this mutton er jhol or mutton curry .

               Traditionally this 'sacred' Mutton er jhol is cooked with pure mustard oil and red chili paste freshly ground in a shil nora or mortar . But the more gastronomically challenged people can always substitute these two ingredients with white oil and red chili powder . Its a timeless classic that has survived the influence of all kinds of cuisine and generations of fussy eaters . Even today when you step into a gathering of Bengalis be it in Chennai or in Chicago, in Pondicherry or Paris, somewhere in the flow of the evening there just has to be a conversation about Mutton curry . 

  

               My recipe of Mutton er Jhol is the very same typical traditional recipe that probably you have grown up having or probably cook up with elan every weekend . The key to a good mutton curry of course is the mutton and that varies depending on individual taste . I have people in my family who can slaughter each other over the nalli piece or a particularly lumpy piece of fat while I am not a big fan of 'chorbi' or goat fat . So we always get the front leg to get the best of both worlds . Pressure cooker is a must for cooking this dish but if slow cooking is your preference then that is even beter . Good luck in the kitchen!

 

 

 List of Ingredients

1.  Goat Meat with bones (1 Kg)

2.  Raw Papaya paste (optional)

3.  Dahi or Plain Curd (1 cup)

4.  Mustard oil or White oil

5.  Turmeric Powder (2 tspn)

6.  Onion sliced or julienned (2 cups)

7.  Ginger (1/2 inch cube)

8.  Garlic (7-8 cloves)

9.  Tomatoes chopped (3 medium)

10. Whole dry red chillies (3-4)

11. Green chilli (3-4)

12. Potatoes peeled and halved (3-4)

10. Cinnamon 1 inch stick

11. Cloves (5-6)

12. Green Cardamom (2-3 optional)

12. Sugar (1 tbl spn)

13. Salt (to taste)

14. Red chilli powder (optional) 

 

Serves: 6                 Cook Time: 60 mins                  Prep Time: 10 mins               Calories (per serving): high

 

 

STEP 1 : Slice the onions, peel and halve the potatoes and make a paste of the tomatoes, green chillies, whole dry red chillies, ginger and garlic .

 

STEP 2 : Mix 1 cup of plain curd or dahi with the grated raw papaya, the turmeric powder and mustard oil and marinate the mutton over night .

 

STEP 3 : Heat some oil and add the whole garam masala and then the sliced onion . Fry till the onion caramelizes, add some salt and sugar for browning the onions faster . Add in the paste of tomatoes, chillies, ginger and garlic .

 

STEP 4 : Cook till the oil separates . Add in the potatoes and cook for 2-3 mins

 

STEP 5 : Add in the marinated mutton and then over a medium high heat, cover and cook the meat well for atleast 30 minutes . Stir from time to time . Add salt to taste along with turmeric powder and red chilli powder .

 

STEP 6 : Pressure cook for 20 minutes and then take the pressure cooker off the heat . Let it sit till steam cools down . Add the garam masala powder right after opening the lid . 

 

STEP 7 : Add the garam masala powder right after opening the lid .

 

STEP 8 : Serve a steaming bow of mutton er jhol with some boiled rice and a garden salad and may be a slice of lime .