Lamb Curry Khada Masala 2, Balti Mutton
Balti Gosht Khada Masala 2
Farah Maqsood
This one pot, easy recipe can be made with meats other than mutton or lamb, but tastes best with mutton. Instead of slow cooking in a pan, which requires stirring from time to time, keeping an eye on it, it is easiest to make it in a slow cooker or crock pt. Just put everything in a slow cooker and switch it on. It can just as easily cooked in a pressure cooker, saving a lot of time.
Serves 6-8
Edited February 2022
Ingredients
1 1/2 kg Mutton/Lamb cut into small pieces . Leave bones in, if possible. they enhance the flavour
3 medium onions chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or crushed
1 tbsp. grated or chopped ginger
4-5 red chillies (adjust to taste)*, slit lengthways
8 whole black peppercorns*
6 cloves*
2 cinnamon sticks*
2 bay leaves*
2 brown cardamoms*
1 heaped tsp. salt.
10-12 strands of saffron, soaked in a tablespoon of warm water
2 tsp. sweet paprika powder, for colour
2 cups water (less, if you want thick gravy)
1/2 cup oil (less will also work)
3 tomatoes chopped small or 1 cup tinned tomatoes
1 cup thick yoghurt or sour cream, kept at room temperature (optional)
1 tsp. Garam Masala
Garnish
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced.
2-3 tbsp. oil
Instructions
Place Mutton/Lamb with chopped onions, ginger, garlic, red chillies, whole spices*, ground spices, salt and water in a heavy bottomed pan. Bring to boil. Cook on low heat for 1 hour. Remember that lamb cooks faster than mutton.
Add chopped tomatoes and oil, stir and continue cooking for another hour on minimum heat, till oil floats on top. The gravy should be thick and meat should look dark...?ish. Lamb/mutton cooked slowly is very tender.
Turn the heat off.
Add lightly beaten yoghurt/cream to the meat, mix well, but gently, without breaking meat.
Sprinkle garam masala and half of coriander leaves and stir gently. Transfer to a serving bowl.
While the meat is cooking, fry the thinly sliced onion for garnish in hot oil until deep brown, drain oil off and keep aside.
Garnish with the deep fried onions and remaining chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with Tandoori Roti or Nan.
For cooking in a slow cooker, place mutton/lamb and everything else except yoghurt, in a slow cooker and switch it on. Leave to cook for 5-6 hours or as per the instructions in your cooker manual for a lamb casserole.
For cooking quickly in a pressure cooker, place everything in a pressure cooker and cook under full steam for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, open and stir in yoghurt/cream kept at room temperature.
Notes
For a simpler, student friendly dish, replace black peppercorns,
cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, brown cardamoms, saffron, sweet paprika powder and garam masala with a good curry powder or a Lamb curry mix. Add salt only after tasting as many curry powders have salt.
Adding chilled yoghurt or cream ca sometimes lead it to curdle.
