Mutton Laal Maas/ Mutton Red Curry....!!!!!!!!

Laal Maas or Laal Maans ( Red Meat Curry) is a variety of meat dish from Rajasthan in India. It is a mutton curry prepared in a sauce of curd (yogurt) or hot spices such as red chilies. This dish typically is  very hot and rich in garlic. But while preparing this I modified it slightly as we neither eat extremely hot dishes nor we withstand excessive flavor of garlic. For that reason,instead of using very hot red chilies, I used the Kashmiri ones so that the red colour of the curry would come yet it  couldn't be very hot. On the other hand I reduced the use of the garlic too.
Lets start discussing the recipe now:

Ingredients:

• Mutton: 800 gm
• Whole Red Chilies( original recipe calls for 10-12 nos. hot red chilies but I used the kashmiri red chilies) : 5-6 nos.
• Mustard Oil : 3-4 tbsp.
• Ghee( Indian Clarified Butter) : 4-5 tbsp.
• Onion: Thin Sliced( 5-6 nos., medium size)
• Garlic: 12-15 nos. cloves ( The original recipe calls for a whole pod of garlic)
• Ginger: 2 tsp ( Paste)
• Unsweetened Yogurt: 2/3 Cup.
• Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp.
• Cinnamon Sticks -1
• Cardamoms: 2 (black)
• Cloves: 7-8 nos.
• Bay Leaves: 1
• Peppercorns: 5-6
• Salt: To Taste
• Sugar: A pinch
• Water: As required (Enough to cook the mutton well).

Process:

• In a cup of warm water first soak the red whole chilies and keep it for 10-15 minutes.
• Now in a blender add the garlic cloves, soaked red chilies along with the water and make a fine and smooth paste. Keep it separately.
• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the prepared garlic chili paste. Stir it continuously until the oil starts to release from the sides. Keep the flame medium while doing this. Take the mixture out of the pan and keep separately.
• Now take a pressure cooker or a deep bottomed vessel or handi. Add the rest of the oil and the ghee. Let the ghee melt and mix with the oil. Now add the cinnamon sticks, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorn and bay leaves. Let the aroma come out and then add the cumin seeds. Let it crackle for few seconds. Add the sugar and fry it till brown.
• Now add the sliced onions, ginger paste and stir for few minutes.
• Add the mutton pieces and salt. On medium flame cook the mutton pieces with the spices for about 10-12 minutes.
• Beat the yogurt with little water and a pinch of flour and pour it into the vessel. Mix in thoroughly.
• Now add the chili garlic paste, mix in well and stir it for another 10 minutes.
• Now add the water. Bring it to boil and then cover the vessel with a heavy lid and simmer it on low flame until the mutton is well cooked and becomes tender.
• Once done uncover it and check the seasoning.
• The curry I made had little thick gravy. If you want, you may prepare little thin gravy also. In that case you need to add little more water. 
• Serve hot with steamed rice or chapatti.

                                                                       Enjoy Your Food...!!!