Oriya Mutton Curry (Mansa Tarakari)

Hi friends,


This is my favourite curry. This is typical Oriya Mutton Curry which was my favourite through out my childhood. I still remember my mom making this one as a surprise, when I got selected in my campus interview for HCL. Hope you all will enjoy this. Any comments, compliments and suggestions to improve are most welcome.


Ingredients:

• Mutton - 1 lb nice and tender
• Potatoes - 3-4 Medium Sized (cut into big cubes)
• Mustard Oil - 1-2 tbsp for frying the potatoes.
• Onions - 3 medium sized
• Garlic 8 -10 Cloves
• Ginger 1 ½ inch
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Black Pepper - 4 to 8 
• Bay Leaf - 2
• Cardamom - 4 whole
• Cloves - 5
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Cooking oil - 8 tbsps (Choose mustard oil, it will help you get the typical Oriya Mutton Curry aroma)

      For Marinating:

• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp 
• 2 tsp Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
• 1 ½ tsp Salt - 1.5 tsp
• Yogurt - 4 tbsp
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tsps
• Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Make a smooth paste of onion, ginger and garlic and half an inch cinnamon.
• Marinate the mutton with the ingrdients listed under the marinating tab for atleast 2 hours.
• Heat up a Kadhai or any heavy bottom Pan.
• Add 2 tbsps of cooking oil.
• Shallow fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown.
• Keep them aside on kitchen-wraps or tissue paper to absorb excessive oil.
• Heat 5 tbsps of cooking oil in a pressure cooker
• Temper it with Black pepper, Cinnamon stick, Bay leaf, whole Cardamom, Cloves
• Add sugar to this (This is primarily to enhance the color of the gravy) till it turns brown.
• Add the masala paste prepared in step 1.
• Add a little turmeric.
• Fry till the oil starts to come out. Add a little water if the masala starts to stick to the vessel.
• Add the marinated mutton at this point
• Fry on medium heat for about 15 mints (till the oil stars to separate out) with the lid loosely covered
• Add fried potatoes
• Add water based on how much of gravy you want to make.
• For a medium thick gravy, add up to 2 cups of water.
• Add 1 tsp of garam masala.
• Fix the pressure cooker lid.
• Cook on high head for 1 whistle and then cook on low heat for about 20 mins.
• Check the tenderness of the mutton. If you require it to be softer, you could cook it for some more time.
• Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and onions.
• Serve hot with rice.