Dhaba Mutton Curry

Traversing north India through roadways I had the privilege of experiencing the taste of this delectable dish quite a number of times. Stopping by a roadside dhaba (small food joints along highways) and enjoying the lip smacking rustic flavours of the countryside is something sublime, divine. That is why I always prefer dhabas to plush restaurants/resorts while driving on highways.
 Intrinsically the dhaba flavor is associated with desi ghee/clarified butter, spices, tadka dal/lentils, mutton/chicken, hot chapatis which wafts around and tickles your taste buds making each moment of wait for the food seem like a year. The taste of a dhaba dal tadka and mutton/chicken curry is to die for because of the unparallel freshness. I searched the net for the authentic recipe of Dhaba Mutton Curry which will bring out the flavor of  rural Punjab and found Moumita Roy’s (a friend and fellow foodie, blogger)  recipe. Adjusted the recipe accordingly with some modifications to suit my requirement…here’s the recipe….

Dhaba Mutton Curry

 

Dhaba Mutton Curry

Dhaba Mutton Curry

Dhaba Mutton Curry

Dhaba Mutton Curry

Recipe:
 

Ingredients:

• 800 gms mutton cut in medium sized pieces
• 6-7 onions chopped
• 1 ½ inch ginger
• 1 whole garlic
• 2-3 green chillies
• ½ cup tomato puree/paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 5-6 green cardamoms
• 2 sticks of cinnamon 1 inch each
• 5-6 cloves
• 1 tsp Deghi red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• ½ cup ghee/clarified butter
• Salt n sugar to taste
• Some chopped green chillies and fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Dhaba Mutton Curry

Procedure:
 

Take ginger, garlic and green chillies, make smooth paste in a blender. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed skillet and fry the mutton pieces till they get a brownish hue. Take them out and keep aside. Toss the whole garam masalas and bay leaves in the same ghee or add more if you need. Wait for the crackle and add onions. Fry the onions golden and add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste. Saute and add the powdered masalas. Fry well. Add salt and the mutton pieces, mix with the masalas. Add 2 big cups of warm water and cover the skillet with a lid. Let the mutton cook on low flame till tender. This may take 1 hour to 1 ½ hours depending on the quality of mutton. Now add the tomato puree and sugar and cook for further 5-6 minutes. Serve hot garnished with chopped green chillies and coriander leaves.
Note: Add tomato puree after the mutton gets fully cooked or it will turn stiff and chewy.