MUTTON NAHARI

Equipment needed

Pot with a lid

Small pot for boiling water

Muslin cloth

Whisk

Ladle

Knife

Chopping board

Serving

4-5 people

Ingredients

1 kg meat

    If using lamb/mutton then use leg meat with bones cut into  approximately 3” pieces. It can also be made with chicken or beef.  

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 large onion sliced -65g

1 cup oil

50g Nihari masala

1 tbsp paprika powder

      I use this to balance the colour and spice level in the curry only if needed

Salt to taste – approximately 2tsp

1 cup wheat flour

5 cups water (approximately)

For Potli (bundle)

A square piece of muslin cloth

1 piece of mace

A quarter of nutmeg

1 tbsp fennel seeds

3-4 peppercorns

2 black cardamoms

2 bay leaves

Method

Prepare a bundle of the muslin cloth using the ingredients in the section and keep aside. Make sure it’s tightened properly.

In a big pot heat oil and fry sliced onion until brown.

Add the meat with ginger garlic paste and Nahari masala. Fry till all the water from the meat dries up and it gets a crisp outer layer.

On the other hand prepare a slurry with 1 cup wheat flour by adding water at normal temperature ( approximately 1/2 cup). Add water to the wheat flour in small quantities at a time until you get a runny slurry.

Boil 4 cups of water, when it’s boiling add the slurry and whisk it fast to avoid lumps. If in any case you get lumps . Run it through a sieve and then add this to the meat with the muslin bundle (potli). Cover cook on medium high flame until there’s enough steam built inside the pot. This might take about 5-6 minutes.

Now switch the flame to medium low and let it cook in the covered pot for at least 3 hours.

There should be enough steam in the pot. The cooking time will vary depending upon the quality of the meat . If using chicken it will take less time and beef will probably take more.

We are looking for the meat not just cooked but as you touch it, the meat should tend to shred.

In between just shake the pot gently to check and make sure the meat is not getting stick to the pot. Also taste and adjust seasoning.

Try not to use a ladle after the meat is soft as it might fall off the bone.

In the end this slow cooking will bring the oil on the top.

Serve with fresh naans. Serve in a platter - ginger juliennes, lemon slices and chopped green chillies to garnish on individual servings.

TIPS

• Do not cook it on high flame during the process. It will soak all the oil.

• If it’s runny in the end let it cook on slow heat uncovered.

• If the slurry gets lumps by any chance run it through the sieve and then add it to the meat.

• You can make it with boneless but the bones enhance the flavour of the curry.

• If it’s spicy enough and the colour of the curry doesn’t look right use paprika instead of the Nihari masala.

• The colour of the fried onions drive the colour of the curry . If it's lighter then the colour of the curry will be lighter. Also when you are frying the meat it needs to have a dark brown crisp coating before adding water.

• If you wish to make your own masala, here are the ingredients :

8g long pepper (peepli)

3g All spice (Kebabchini)

20g White cumin

10g Black cumin

1g Cloves

20g Peppercorn

3g Black cardamom

5g Green cardamom

6g Cinnamon stick

1 piece Nutmeg ( peel the skin)

1g Mace

20g Fennel seeds

4 g Caraway seeds

60g Red Chilli Powder

15g Turmeric powder

45g Salt

Dry grind all the ingredients together to give a powder which can be stored. Add 2tbsp of this powder for 1kg meat. You can adjust salt and chilli powder separately if needed.