Mutton Char Pyaaza

Dr.Shabana Saleem, MBBS, DNB (Family Medicine) shares one of her favourite mutton recipes with us. Apart from being a doctor, she is a wife of a naval officer and a doting mother of two beautiful girls. Her interests include reading, travelling and cooking.

I would like to share this wonderful recipe which can be made in a jiffy. It not only looks good, but also tastes delicious when combined with steamed rice and plain yellow daal. Even though, I learnt this from my house helper, I tried this on my ever ready guinea pigs – my husband and kids! The name Mutton Char Pyaza was coined by my them, as the only main ingredient in this recipe are onions and thankfully according to them, it tastes really good. So here goes…

Ingredients

• Mutton/ lamb/ tender beef- washed, cubed  – 250 gms
• Onions: 500gms sliced
• Ginger-garlic paste: 2 table spoons
• Garam Masala Powder (clove & cinnamon ground together): half tea spoon
• Red chilli powder – one & half tea spoon (or according to taste)
• Turmeric powder: one fourth tea spoon
• Tamrind pulp: 4 table spoons
• Oil- 2 table spoons
• salt to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a pressure pan; add the sliced onions and fry until light golden brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and garam masala powder. To this add the mutton pieces and sauté on high flame, allowing all the water from the meat to evaporate.
• Now add turmeric and chilli pwders and salt. Sauté for a few more minutes and add the tamarind pulp.
• Add one and half cup of water and pressure cook for 10 mins until the meat is cooked to medium tenderness.
• Open the pressure cooker lid and on high flame let the excess water also evaporate until the oil starts to leave the sides of the pressure pan.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, onion rings and serve hot

Actually the most difficult part comes now; getting praises and stopping people to drop by for a bite. A lazy Sunday lunch consisting of this dish, followed by a siesta is a killer combo!

Text and Photograph by: Dr. Shabana Saleem