Pazham Pappadam Paayasam: Kerala Mutton curry (Serves 4-5)

Wishing all our friends a Happy Easter. Treat yourself with a finger licking Kerala style mutton curry to break the lent Smile . Hope you all enjoy!!

For marination

Mutton ¾ kg, cut to small pieces
Homemade garam masala 1 tsp (refer here for the recipe)
Red chilly powder ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Salt as needed

Marinate the cleaned, cut meat with the above ingredients for 30 minutes.

For the curry

Red onion 2 medium, thinly sliced
Green chilly 3 nos, slit
Ginger 1 TBSP, finely chopped
Garlic 3 pods, finely chopped
Coconut slices 1 TBSP
Kashmiri red chilly powder 1 TBSP
Black pepper powder ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Coriander powder 2 ½ TBSP
Fennel powder ½ tsp
Curry leaves a handful
Coconut oil 1 TBSP
Salt as needed
Coriander leaves to garnish
Cardamom 2 nos, Cinnamon stick 1, Cloves 2 nos, Fennel seeds 1 tsp, Bay leaf 1.

Preparation

Crush together little onions, ginger, garlic, whole spices using a blender.

Heat oil and add the crushed mix, sauté till an aroma develops. Add the coconut slices and sauté till light brown color. Next add the thinly sliced onions and salt and sauté till translucent (for 5-7 minutes). Now add the slit green chilly and sauté for another 5-7 minutes until onions fetch a brown color. Next add turmeric powder and mix well with the onions. Next add the Kashmiri red chilly powder and incorporate well with the onions. Next add the coriander powder, fennel seed powder and black pepper powder. Cook this for 3-4 minutes and add the marinated mutton. Mix well and cook covered with a lid for about 20 minutes. You will see water oozing out from the mutton. Stir occasionally. After this add enough hot water according to the gravy you will need (I added about ¾ cup). Cook for another 30 minutes at medium heat or until mutton pieces are cooked thoroughly. Lastly add chopped coriander leaves and remove from flame. Enjoy with any kind of rice preparations or chappathi, appam, idiyappams etc…