Rayalaseema Mutton Curry

Rayalaseema Mutton Curry

Rayalaseema Mutton Curry

Bone-in goat cooked in the Rayalaseema manner — ground dried red chilli paste (substantially more than in any other Indian curry), fried onion, grated coconut, poppy seeds, and freshly ground spices cooked together in oil until the raw chilli smell dissipates, then the mutton added and cooked on high heat without water, relying entirely on the natural juices of the meat and the moisture in the masala. The finished curry is dark, oily, fiercely spiced, and relatively dry; eaten with jonna rotte or rice, never with bread. The signature 'Seema fire' — the heat is immediate, intense, and prolonged, a feature considered a point of regional pride rather than a flaw.

Cuisines

Rayalaseema

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 60 min Total: 75 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

500 grams mutton, bone-in pieces
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 units bay leaves
2 units green cardamoms
4 units cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 units onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
3 units green chilies, slit
2 teaspoons red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup water
to taste salt
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
  2. 2 Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds; let them splutter.
  3. 3 Add bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon stick; sauté for a few seconds.
  4. 4 Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
  5. 5 Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies; cook until the raw smell disappears.
  6. 6 Add the mutton pieces and sauté until they are browned on all sides.
  7. 7 Mix in red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt; cook for 2 minutes.
  8. 8 Pour in the tomato puree and cook until the oil separates from the masala.
  9. 9 Add water, cover the pan, and let it simmer on low heat until the mutton is tender.
  10. 10 Stir occasionally and adjust the water quantity if needed.
  11. 11 Once the mutton is cooked, sprinkle garam masala and stir well.
  12. 12 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For a richer taste, you can add a few tablespoons of coconut milk towards the end of cooking.