Rajasthan has given us so many gems when it comes to food. There is a plethora of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes in this rich cuisine. One such traditional curry is Laal Maas. Prepared with mutton, this dish is a beautiful blend of Mathania red chili peppers, curd, onions, garlic, coriander seeds, ghee, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon and many other spices. Let us dig back to the history of this dish.
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As per some food experts, this dish which is said to be an integral part of Mewari cuisine could be traced back to 10th century. Translated to ‘red meat’, this dish was cooked in butter due to lack of water and vegetables in the desert. It might have originated like this, but now, this dish has turned into an absolute delight for meat eaters. Earlier, this was confined only within the Rajput homes especially for the Rajput hunters.
Another legend claims that this dish came into being when a Mewar king rejected the deer meat prepared with nothing but garlic and yoghurt. After trying much, the cooks raised the heat of the dish while adding a good amount of Mathania chilies into this. And this is how the dish got its name. No matter how it originated, this dish is an absolute delight. Earlier, this dish was made wild meats, but it is commonly prepared with mutton now-a-days.
So, without any delay, let us give you a quick and easy recipe of this absolutely delicious mutton curry from Rajasthan. Follow the steps below and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 750 gm mutton (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 6 to 8 Kashmiri red chilies
- ½ cup yogurt
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 2 black cardamoms
- 4 green cardamoms
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 onions (chopped)
- Salt to taste
- Handful of coriander leaves
- 2 to 3 pieces charcoal
Method
- Take a mixer jar and blend red chilies to a smooth paste.
- Take a bowl and add mutton pieces, curd, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and red chili paste.
- Mix well and keep it in refrigerator for an hour.
- Heat a pan and add black cardamom, green cardamoms, bay leaf, cloves and green cardamoms.
- Sauté well.
- Now add onions and sauté until they turn brown.
- When done, add the ginger and garlic paste.
- Mix it again for 2 minutes.
- Thereafter, add marinated mutton to the onions and let it cook for 3 minutes.
- Add salt as per taste, and water. Cover the muttons and let it cook for around 7 to 8 minutes.
- When done, remove the pan from heat.
- Meanwhile light a charcoal piece and place it in a small metal bowl.
- Place the bowl in the center of the dish.
- Add three cloves to the coal and pour some ghee on it.
- Now quickly cover with a lid and set aside for two more minutes.
- Cook the dish again for a minute and add garam masala.
- Mix well and serve with coriander leaves.
- Serve!