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In the mood for a spicy, savoury Maharshtrian dish tonight? Well, the state is known for its love of mutton curries, from Kolhapur and Nagpuri to Mumbai and the Konkan coast, so naturally, going for a Maharashtrian mutton dish makes absolute sense. Of course, there is such a huge number of Maharashtrian mutton dishes that you would be spoilt for choice on any day, but there is certainly one Konkani gem that you should try out at least once—Dhan Mutton Shikori.
Mutton Shikori is a traditional mutton dish from the Konkan region and is especially popular among the Konkani Muslims. In fact, the dish is so popular that it is even served during Bakr Eid and weddings. The gravy-based dish is cooked with onions, tomatoes and fresh mutton—but what makes the dish so much more special is the blend of unique Konkani spices.
The spice blend for this dish includes Indian staples like coriander and cumin, but with the addition of at least two Konkani specials, coconut and fennel seeds. These are roasted together and then ground to a paste. Apart from this, the dish also calls for both green and red chillies, making it quite a spicy dish.
Video credit: YouTube/Ghare's Kitchen
In the Konkan region, Mutton Shikori is usually served with Saandan, a steamed rice cake quite like idlis, so that the spicy gravy can be mopped up properly. You can also have this dish with rice or phulkas. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
500g mutton
3 onions, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt, to taste
3-4 cups water
3 tbsp oil
Coriander leaves, for garnish
For the spice blend:-
¼ cup coconut, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 dry red chillies
4 green chillies
6-7 garlic cloves
1 ginger
Method:
1. First, start out by making the Mutton Shikori spice blend.
2. Heat a heavy bottomed pan, then add the coconut slices to it.
3. Now add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cardamoms, bay leaf, dry red chillies and dry roast for a minute or until the spices release their aroma.
4. Switch off the flame, let the spices cool down a bit, then transfer the same into a mixie jar.
5. Add the green chillies, ginger and garlic and grind until you get a coarse paste.
6. Now, heat the oil in a pressure cooker.
7. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and fry them until they turn brown.
8. Now add the tomatoes and continue cooking until the mix starts releasing oils.
9. Add the ground spice blend and continue cooking for another minute or so.
10. Now add the mutton, salt and turmeric powder.
11. Mix well and continue sauteeing for 10 minutes.
12. Now add 3-4 cups of water, seal the pressure cooker and cook for 3-4 whistles or until the mutton is done.
13. Let the pressure out and check if the mutton is cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
