Jungli Maas
The most elemental of all Rajasthani meat preparations — bone-in goat or wild game cooked in nothing but ghee and whole dried Mathania red chillies, sealed in a heavy vessel and cooked on high heat until the meat chars slightly at the edges and the fat from the meat and the ghee merge into a fiery, red-stained oil with no onion, no garlic, no tomato, no water. A hunter's preparation from the days when Rajput warriors and shikar parties carried only ghee and dried chilli on long hunts; the minimal ingredients force the entire flavour to come from the quality of the meat and the heat of the chilli. Eaten with bati or bajre ki roti, one of the most dramatic dishes in Indian cooking.
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Recipe
Ingredients
| 500 grams | mutton, bone-in |
| 4 tablespoons | mustard oil |
| 10-12 | dried red chilies |
| 1 tablespoon | coriander seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | black peppercorns |
| 4 | cloves |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 1 tablespoon | garlic paste |
| 1 teaspoon | salt |
| 2 cups | water |
Instructions
- 1 Heat mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed pan until it starts to smoke.
- 2 Reduce the heat and add dried red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves.
- 3 Sauté the spices for a minute until aromatic.
- 4 Add the mutton pieces to the pan and sear them on high heat until they are browned on all sides.
- 5 Add garlic paste and salt, and stir well to coat the mutton with the spices.
- 6 Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 7 Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the mutton simmer for about 45-60 minutes until it is tender and cooked through.
- 8 Check the seasoning and adjust salt if necessary.
- 9 Once the mutton is cooked and the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Tips
Traditionally, Jungli Maas is made with minimal ingredients to highlight the flavor of the meat. Adjust the number of chilies based on your spice preference.