Mutton handi is a rich, aromatic South Asian curry where tender pieces of mutton (goat meat) are slow cooked in a deep clay pot called a handi. This traditional method, often using the dum style (sealing the pot with dough to trap steam and flavors), results in meat that is incredibly tender and gravy, infused with deep earthy flavors. Mutton handi typically involves onions, ginger, garlic and a complex blend of whole and ground spices such as garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cloves, and cardamom as they are central to its flavor profile.
Ingredients
- Mutton 1/2 kilo
- yoghurt 1/2 cup
- blended tomato 1/2 cup
- red chilli powder 1tsp
- coriander powder 1tsp
- cumin 1/2 tsp
- garam masala powder 1/2 tsp
- salt to taste
- kashmiri red chilli powder 1tsp
- black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
- garlic clove 15 (crushed)
- diced green chili
- mustard oil 80ml or any other cooking oil
- black cardamom 4 pods
- green cardamom 3 pods
- cloves 5
- cinnamon stick 1
- nutmeg 1 small piece
- fennel seed 1/2 tsp
- cumin seed 1tsp
- dried chillies 4
- bay leaf 1
- sliced onions 350gram
- mutton masala powder 1tsp
- garlic 2 whole pods
Procedure
To make this mutton handi with lots of spicy and velvety rich masala gravy, follow the simple steps below:
- Wash and pat-dry mutton pieces, bring into a bowl, add yoghurt, red chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala powder, salt to taste, add Kashmiri red chili powder, black pepper, crushed garlic cloves and diced green chili.
- In a pan, heat mustard oil until it is smoky. Add black and green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, fennel seed, cumin seeds, dried chilies and bay leaf, fry until fragrant. Add tomato paste and fry until there’s no more water left.
- Add fried spices and tomato paste to mutton, add sliced onions and mutton masala powder to it.
- Add ginger/garlic paste, pods of garlic and remaining oil and mix well to incorporate all the ingredients perfectly.
- Transfer marinated mutton to a pot (preferably a clay pot or non-stick pot).
- If you’re using a clay pot, seal the pot cover with dough to keep it airtight and trap steam. Pour salt or sand into a bigger pot and place the mutton pot on it.
- Cook for 4 minutes on high heat first, then cook for 45 minutes more on low heat.
- If you’re using a non-stick pot, cook on low heat until the mutton is completely cooked making sure cover lids are sealed perfectly.
- Enjoy your mutton handi with naan bread, garlic bread, chapati, paratha or even white rice.
