Laal Maas
A fiery, deep red Rajasthani mutton curry built on dried red chillies, garlic and ghee. The meat turns tender and glossy, and the gravy is rich rather than heavy.
Ingredients
Equipment: Heavy-bottomed pot or deep karahi with lid, blender or mortar, small bowl
Method
Cover the dried chillies with hot water in a small bowl and leave them to soften. Meanwhile, mix the mutton with the yogurt, ginger paste, turmeric and salt in a large bowl, then leave it to marinate.
Drain the softened chillies, keeping 3 tablespoons of the soaking water. Blend them with the 10 garlic cloves and that water into a smooth, deep red paste.
Melt the ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cumin, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon, and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the marinated mutton with all its yogurt. Turn the heat up to medium-high and fry, stirring, until the meat is sealed and the liquid has mostly dried up, about 12 minutes.
Stir in the chilli paste, coriander powder and chilli powder if using. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring so the paste does not catch, until the ghee begins to separate at the edges.
Pour in the hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer until the mutton is tender and pulls easily from the bone, about 60 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes and add a splash of hot water if the pot looks dry.
Remove the lid and cook on medium for 5 to 8 minutes if the gravy is thin. It is ready when the sauce clings to the meat and a layer of red ghee floats on top.
Turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes, covered. Scatter over the coriander and serve hot.
Cooking tips
- Kashmiri chillies give a rich red colour with moderate heat. For a truly fiery pot, replace half of them with hotter dried red chillies.
- Keep the yogurt whisked and the heat steady while frying the marinated meat so it does not curdle into lumps.
- A generous amount of ghee is part of the dish. Skim some off at the end if you prefer a lighter gravy, but leave enough to carry the colour.
- To save time, cook the sealed mutton and water in a pressure cooker for 25 to 30 minutes after step 6, then reduce the gravy uncovered.
Substitutions
- Use lamb shoulder on the bone in place of mutton and shorten the simmer to about 45 minutes.
- Swap the Kashmiri chillies for 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder mixed with 3 tbsp water if you have no whole dried chillies.
- Replace ghee with 5 tbsp mustard oil, heated until just smoking then cooled slightly, for a sharper Rajasthani flavour.
- Bone-in chicken thighs work too: simmer for only 25 minutes, until they reach 74°C inside.
Serve with
"Serve with bajra roti, plain chapati or steamed basmati rice, with sliced raw onion, lemon wedges and a cooling bowl of raita on the side."
Storage
"Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months."
Reheating
"Reheat gently in a covered pot over low heat with a splash of water, stirring now and then, until piping hot throughout. Thaw frozen portions in the fridge overnight first."
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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