PREPARATION
Wash the Mutton pieces well, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of Salt and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, rub all the pieces with it and keep aside.
Slice the onions.
Grate the Garlic, Ginger, and Onions
Wash the Tomatoes, cut in big pieces and make a puree in your blender/ grinder
Garam masala - Grind 1inch piece of Cinnamon, 4 or 5 small cardamoms, 4 or 5 Cloves, and together and keep aside. We will use a little bit of this powder.
Gather all the spices before starting.
HOW TO MAKE THE MUTTON CURRY
Heat the oil in a Kadai/ wok/ Pan. When the oil is really hot add the Black cardamom first then the Cloves, green Cardamoms and the Cinnamon pieces to the oil
Stir a little, then add the sliced Onions. Then add the grated Onions and fry a little. After that, add the fresh Grated Garlic and Ginger. Keep frying on medium heat until the onions are brown.
Now Add the dry masalas/ spices : Salt, Turmeric powder, Chilli powder, Cumin and Coriander powders, stir fry for a minute or so
Add the Tomato puree. Keep stir frying until the raw smell of the masalas disappears. The oil should separate around the edges of the onion.
Add the Mutton pieces and stir fry till the onion and the rest of the masalas coat all the mutton pieces very well
Stir fry a little more and cover with a lid
Now you will have to cook on very low heat for a long time. Open the lid occasionally. Let the water that has accumulated on the lid drip into the mutton. Stir well and close the lid again. Keep repeating this, opening the lid and stirring the mutton after every 5 or 6 minutes. Mutton takes a long time to cook and this is the slow cooked method so it will take pretty long. It took about an hour for me. It depends on the quality of the meat.
In case the gravy get too dry and starts sticking to the bottom of the Kadai / wok , add a couple of tablespoons of water and continue the stir frying ( This is called Koshano in Bangla). The colour of the gravy will slowly turn a Dark Brown. Keep going till the mutton is soft enough to be cut by a spoon.
Add 1 full teaspoon of the Garam Masala powder, and mix it well with the curry.
The dish is done when the mutton is cooked and there fat floats round the gravy. There is very little gravy in this dish. You could add a few tablespoons of water. Add them in case you like a little more gravy.
Serve with Bengali Pulao, or Luchi / Puri, Paratha or Roti
