Mutton Rezala

Serves-5-6

Ingredients:

1.Mutton – 750 gm 

2.Onions – 4(medium), sliced

3.Ginger paste- 1 ½ tsp

4.Garlic paste- ½ tsp

5.Cinnamon- 3 sticks (each of 1 inch) Cloves- 5-6

6.Cloves- 4-5

7.Black cardamom –2 (take only the pods)

8.Black pepper powder- ½ tsp (crushed fresh)

9.Bay Leaf –3

10.Red Chilies (whole)-3

11.Curd/Yoghurt- 3 cups (250 gm)

12.Raisins (pasted)- 15

13.Cashew- 15

14. Milk – 250 ml( Boil it till it reduces to half)

15.Salt 

16.Ghee- to fry the onions

17.Saffron- A generous pinch

Process:

1.Wash, drain and pat dry the mutton pieces.

     

2.Soak the cashew and raisins in hot water for 15 minutes. Make a paste of cahew and raisins- SEPERATELY.

      

3.Heat a pan, add bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cloves.Dry roast all of these.

4.Make a COARSE powder of all the roasted spices.

5.heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions till golden brown.Strain it and allow it to cool.

6.Make a smooth paste of the fried onions. Do not add water to make the paste.Add 2-3 tbsp of ghee to make a smooth paste.

7.Take a bowl, add the mutton, salt, curd, ginger garlic paste, fried onion paste, black pepper powder, roasted spice powder. Mix all well.

8.To marinade- keep it inside a refrigerator for 2 hrs. The longer you marinade the tender the meat gets

9. The secret of authentic mutton rezala lies in its very slow cooking process. Take a heavy bottom vessel- that has a tight fitting lid to it.

10.Put the mutton inside the vessel, add the whole red chilies and close the lid. Simmer (in very low heat) the mutton for 15-20 mins.

11.Stir well and add 1 cup of warm water.Close the lid again and cook in simmer for another 20-25 minutes.

12.Take a bowl and add the milk. Mix the cashew and the raisin paste.Mix well.Add pinches of saffron to it.

13.Remove the mutton from heat.Add the milk.Stir well.

14.Return the vessel to heat

15.Cook till the meat is tender and you get a  shiny white gravy.

16.Rezala is ideal with biriyani,however you can serve with rumali or tandoori roti.

Tips:

1.When adding the milk, make sure to remove your pan from heat, and then once stirred in properly, return it on the heat. This will stop the milk from breaking.

2.The secret of authentic 'mutton rezala' lies in Simmering-cooking in very low heat.