Kerala Style Mutton Curry

One dish that stands out in Kerala’s cuisine is the mouthwatering Kerala-style mutton curry. The key to an authentic and flavorful curry lies in using high-quality ingredients. It is an incredibly versatile dish that pairs perfectly with a variety of traditional accompaniments like appam, puttu, chapathi, parotta, or rice.

Ingredients and Preparation

To prepare the mutton, use bone-in mutton cut into 1 and ½-inch pieces. Bones add a lot of flavor, making the curry very delicious. Try to get the mutton from the legs and shoulder of the goat for the best taste. If using frozen mutton, then thaw it to room temperature before using it in the recipe. For the curry, cook it in coconut oil for an authentic taste. To make a delicious Kerala-style mutton curry, you will need the following ingredients:

• Bone-in mutton
• Fresh ginger
• Fresh garlic
• Turmeric powder
• Salt
• Curry leaves
• Shallots
• Green chilies
• Coconut oil
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Kashmiri red chili powder
• Black Pepper
• Coriander Powder
• Coriander Leaves

With its rich blend of spices and tender mutton, this dish is a burst of flavors. You can get the garam masala from the store or prepare homemade garam masala.

How To Make Kerala Style Mutton Curry

Mutton Curry

Kerala style mutton curry is a true favourite of Indian cuisine. Its rich and aromatic flavors make it a popular dish.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

Cooking the Mutton:

• 1 kg Mutton with bones
• ½ tablespoon freshly ground Black Pepper approximately 1½ teaspoons
• 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
• 1 teaspoon Chilli Powder
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala or 1½ teaspoons Meat Masala
• ½ tablespoon Lime / Lemon Juice or Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ cup Water

For the Gravy:

• 4 tablespoons Oil
• 200 gram Shallots, sliced (30-35 NOs)
• 1 Onion sliced
• 1½ inch long Ginger chopped
• 8 cloves Garlic chopped
• 2 Green Chillies chopped
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 tablespoons Coriander Powder
• 1 teaspoon Chilli Powder
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala or 1½ teaspoons Meat Masala
• 1 Tomato finely chopped (optional)
• 3 sprigs Curry Leaves
• ¼ cup Coriander Leaves optional
• 1 cup Hot Water
• ½ tablespoon freshly ground Black Pepper

Instructions

 

Cooking the Mutton

• In a pressure cooker, combine the 1 Kg mutton with bones, 1/2 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 Teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala (or 1 1/2 teaspoon meat masala), 1/2 Tablespoon lime/lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well.
• Add ½ cup of water to the pressure cooker, close the lid, and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Start on high flame for the first whistle, then set it to low flame for subsequent whistles. Turn off the flame and allow the pressure to release for 15-20 minutes. The number of whistles may vary based on the mutton and pressure cooker size.

Making the Flavorful Gravy

• While the mutton is cooking, prepare the gravy. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan or kadai over medium heat.
• Add sliced shallots, sliced onion, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped green chillies, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan. Sauté for 15 minutes until they turn golden in color. Maintain medium flame throughout.
• Reduce the flame to low and add coriander powder, chilli powder, and garam masala (or meat masala). Stir for 30 seconds to cook the spices until the raw flavor subsides.
• Add finely chopped tomatoes (optional) and curry leaves. If desired, add coriander leaves as well. Mix and combine for 1 minute over low heat.
• Increase the flame to medium and add 1 cup of hot water to the pan. Mix well until it starts to boil.

Combining Mutton and Gravy

• Once the mutton in the pressure cooker is done, add it to the gravy in the pan. Mix to combine.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes over medium heat.
• After 10 minutes, remove the lid and add freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
• Turn off the flame and let the curry sit for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• Serve your delicious mutton curry with your choice of accompaniment, such as appam, puttu, chapathi, parotta, or rice. Enjoy!

Variations of Mutton Curry

There are many variations of Kerala style mutton curry, including spicy mutton curry, mutton curry with coconut milk, and mutton curry with potatoes.

Kerala Style Mutton Curry – Variation #1

Ingredients:

• 1 kg mutton, cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 15 shallots, halved
• 2 medium-sized onions, sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp black pepper powder, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 tsp fennel seeds powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• Curry leaves
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• Salt to taste

For Tempering:

• Oil
• Shallots
• Coconut slices (optional)
• Green chilies
• Curry leaves

Instructions:

1. Preparation:
   • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
   • Add cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
   • Add shallots and sliced onions. Fry until they turn light brown.
2. Adding Spices:
   • Reduce heat to low. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, fennel seeds powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder. Fry for 2 minutes until the spices are aromatic.
3. Incorporating Tomatoes and Mutton:
   • Add sliced tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, and curry leaves. Fry for 2 minutes.
   • Add mutton pieces. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until the meat is lightly seared.
4. Pressure Cooking:
   • Pour in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Season with salt. Mix everything together.
   • Close the pressure cooker lid and cook on medium heat for 4 whistles (about 20-25 minutes depending on the cooker).
5. Tempering:
   • While the mutton is cooking, prepare the tempering.
   • Heat oil in a separate pan.
   • Add shallots, coconut slices (if using), green chilies, and curry leaves. Fry until shallots turn brown.
6. Final Steps:
   • Once the pressure cooker releases pressure naturally, open the lid carefully.
   • Add the tempered ingredients to the mutton curry.
   • Boil the curry for a few more minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.
   • Sprinkle with extra black pepper powder before serving.

Kerala Style Mutton Curry – Variation #2

Kerala-style mutton curry, also known as Kerala mutton roast or Varutharacha mutton curry, is a popular dish from the South Indian state of Kerala. It is characterized by its rich, spicy, and aromatic flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 kg mutton, cut into pieces
• Shallots (enough to match the size of medium onions), finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3-4 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp crushed ginger garlic
• 1 cardamom pod
• 2 pinches fenugreek seeds
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder (for color and mild heat)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 3/4 to 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed powder
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preparation:
   • Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
   • Add fenugreek seeds and cardamom pod. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
2. Sautéing Onions and Aromatics:
   • Add chopped onions, shallots, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onions are light brown in color.
3. Adding Ginger Garlic and Green Chilies:
   • Add crushed ginger garlic and chopped green chilies. Sauté until the raw smell of ginger garlic disappears.
4. Incorporating Spices:
   • Stir in chopped coriander leaves and sauté for 1 minute.
   • Add coriander powder, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, garam masala powder, and fennel seed powder. Sauté until the spices are fragrant.
5. Adding Tomatoes:
   • Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute until they soften.
6. Cooking the Mutton:
   • Add the mutton pieces, season with salt, and mix well to coat the mutton with the spice mixture.
   • Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Pressure Cooking:
   • Pour in 1 1/2 cups of hot water. Add curry leaves if using. Mix everything together.
   • Close the pressure cooker lid, bring it to pressure, and cook for 4-5 whistles (about 20-25 minutes depending on the cooker).
8. Final Steps:
   • Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally.
   • Once safe to open, check if the mutton is cooked through and tender.
9. Adjusting Consistency:
   • If needed, heat the pressure cooker again over medium heat and simmer for another 4-5 minutes or until the curry reaches the desired consistency.
10. Serve:
    • Garnish with additional chopped coriander leaves if desired.
    • Serve hot with rice or bread.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some helpful tips and tricks for making the perfect mutton curry:

• Use bone-in mutton for the best flavor.
• Thaw frozen mutton to room temperature before using it in the recipe.
• Cook the curry in coconut oil for an authentic taste.
• Adjust the spices to your taste.
• Serve hot with rice, appam, or roti.

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