Kari Kulzhambu aka Mutton Kurma

Kari Kulzhambu aka Mutton Kurma

Mutton Kurma - Mutton cooked with rich cashew coconut gravy and potatoes, best served with idly, Dosai, Chapathi, or rice! 

Most weekends at my mom's home start with a hot steaming plate of idly with this Mutton Kurma for breakfast. Well, I would be mostly waking up on the aroma of this gravy only! Lunch would be again this mutton gravy with steamed rice and chicken or mutton dry fry for the side. Well, I should say the Mutton gravy will taste awesome even with a little mango pickle. If there by any chance the Mutton Kurma is left over, it will be again happily there for dinner with hot piping dosa or Chapathi. Really it tastes great with anything! Best part, you don't easily get bored of its taste!!!

Even those who don't prefer eating mutton will surely enjoy eating this gravy. This recipe is my mom's specialty.

Do try and let me know your feedback!!!

Ingredients:

For pressure cooking:

Mutton - 3/4kgs

tomato - 1 chopped
Potato - 1 chopped

Ginger Garlic Onion Paste - 3 tbsp

salt to taste

For Grinding finely

Coconut - 1

Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
Red chilies - 3
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Whole Black pepper - 1 tsp
Saunf/Sombu - 1 tsp

For Frying:
Onion - 3 chopped
Green Chillies - 2 slit
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Whole spices
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
1 green cardamom
1-inch pattai
Cooking oil

Method:
1. Wash mutton clean until there are no traces of blood. The fatty white parts of the mutton should be retained for taste. If you would prefer having lesser fat, you can remove it partly.
2. Pressure cook the mutton with chopped tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Depending on the age of the meat, it would be tender. I usually let it cook for 10 whistles in the cooker. If the meat is not tender, cook it again till it is soft. The meat should not be chewy
3. Once cooked, place the cooker to release the pressure on its own. Meanwhile, grind the coconut, cashew nuts, and poppy seeds. Make it to a fine paste.  Add the spices under grinding and make it to a smooth paste
4. In a kadai, add one tablespoon cooking oil, add the whole spices listed in the ingredients, let it release the fragrance. Now, add chopped onions and green chilies. when it is golden in color, add the cooked mutton with the liquid. You could strain a cup of the stock and use it as a soup. Add enough soup to keep your preferred consistency
5. Add the ground coconut mixture to the kadai once it starts boiling.
6. Add salt to taste
7. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves for an extra zesty flavor.

My Notes!
If you have someone who doesn't like mutton, you could add more potatoes along with the mutton. It gives a fantastic combo. The mutton cooked with potatoes will also give you a thicker gravy. You can omit the potatoes as well!
I have always loved this gravy and would be ready to have it anytime. Have tried it for potlucks with friends and they were absolutely delighted with the Kari Kolambu taste :) Hope you have fun making it as I did! 

Creamy Mushroom Curry

Yummy Mushrooms Served With Rice

I come from a family where they don't cook mushrooms! My Granny thinks that they are only part of the fungus group that grows in a dirty way! It was funny making her understand that mushrooms were edible and can be cooked into a very tasty dish. I told her my recipe on the phone and she was excited about it.

Here is my recipe for the Creamy Mushroom curry:

Ingredients

Mushroom - 1 Packet

Onions - 1 small, finely chopped

Green Chillies - 3 or 4 (Reduce it if you cannot take spicy food)

Butter - 1 tbsp

Three Cream Pasta Sauce - 2 Tbsp

Oil - To sautee

Oregano, salt and pepper - To Taste


How To Proceed

• On a pan, add oil and heat it to medium
• Add the green chillies and onions. Saute it till they brown at the edges.
• Add the mushrooms (I cut them into two halves, you can chop them into smaller pieces or add them as whole if they are button sized)
• When the mushrooms brown, and water oozes from them, reduce the heat.
• Add 2 tablespoons of Three cream pasta sauce and one tablespoon of butter
• Let it cook till the you get a nice aroma of creamy mushrooms. 
• Add Oregano, salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve it hot with rice or roti or bread of your choice

Note

I love them when they are hot. It tastes very good on a cold winter afternoon. If you do not have the pasta sauce, you can add shredded cheddar cheese and a little milk mixed with cornstarch. It will give you the same taste. If you do not have cornstarch, you can add a little all-purpose flour as well.