Lamb Curry / Mutton Curry (with jeera paste)

Lamb  Curry / Mutton Curry (with jeera paste) - A delicious lamb curry, made of jeera (cumin seeds), shallot – ginger – garlic paste and other Indian spices. Best with rice / pulao / parathas / rotis …

Serves: 3

Ingredients

For the lamb (mutton):

600 g lamb pieces (net weight after cleaning), cut into medium size

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vinegar

Wash and clean lamb pieces. Drain out water thoroughly. In a bowl, marinate lamb pieces evenly with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, vinegar  and salt. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

For the spice paste (masala):

1 ½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1 teaspoon fennel seeds (perumjeerakam)

10 dried red chillies, halved

20 peppercorns

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

10 shallots (chuvannulli / small onion)

10 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon ginger, chopped

2 tablespoon water

Make a fine paste of above ingredients in a small mixer bowl with 2 tablespoon water. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

2 tablespoon oil

3 big onions, thinly sliced

10 curry leaves

Spice paste

2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)

Marinated  lamb

200 ml / 1cup water

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (optional)

Method

In a wide pan or karahi,  heat oil on a medium heat.  Add thinly sliced onions and fry till golden  color. Add curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.

Add spice paste and stir well on a medium to low heat for 5 – 8 minutes until the raw smell goes and well combined with onions.

Add cubed tomatoes  (optional) and stir well for 2 minutes.

Add marinated lamb pieces, 1 cup water (200 ml), and adjust salt to taste (or 3/4 teaspoon). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for  40 - 45 minutes or until done / lamb pieces well cooked /  gravy thickens.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves (optional) and serve with rice / pulao / naan / rotis / rumali roti …