RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY

Cuisine: Anglo Indian

Railway Mutton Curry, a dish with roots in British Raj-era India, is believed to have originated as a culinary creation for travelers on long-distance trains. The dish's name reflects its association with railways, specifically the first-class dining cars and refreshment rooms on trains. It's a fusion of Anglo-Indian and Indian flavors, designed to cater to the palates of British travelers.

Ingredients:

To Marinate Meat

Mutton - 1/2 kg

Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chili powder - 2 teaspoons

Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon

Mustard Oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt - as required

For Frying Potatoes

Potatoes (cut into halves) - 3 small

Mustard Oil - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - as required

To Cook the Curry

Mustard Oil - 4 tablespoons

Jaggery powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Green Cardamom - 2

Black Cardamom - 1

Cloves - 2

Bay leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 2 inches

Onion (sliced) - 4 medium

Tomatoes (finely chopped) - 2 medium

Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Spice Powder - 3 teaspoons

Salt - as required

For Making the Spice Powder

Cumin seeds - 1.5 teaspoons

Coriander seeds - 1.5 teaspoons

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Black peppercorns - 1/2 teaspoon

Dry red chilies - 3

Mace - 1/2 teaspoon

Nutmeg - 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

For the Spice Powder

Dry Roast all the ingredients until nice aroma rises. Allow them to cool down completely. Grind them into a fine powder.

For the Curry

Take the mutton pieces into a bowl and add all the ingredients under to marinate meat. Mix everything together and marinate for 1 hour. Heat 1 tablespoon mustard oil in a pot and fry the potato halves with salt and turmeric powder until golden brown. Keep them aside. Add 4 tablespoons of mustard oil to the same pot and add jaggery powder. Then add green cardamom, black cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon. When the spices start to release a nice aroma, add sliced onions. Fry until the onions turn golden brown. Then add finely chopped tomatoes. Cook until soft and mushy. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes away. Then add the marinated mutton pieces, spice powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook over low flame, while stirring occasionally, until oil starts to separate. Add 6 cups of water and cook on high flame until the water starts to boil. Then, add the fried potatoes and cover the pot with the lid. Cook on low flame until the mutton is soft.  If the curry becomes thick, add some more water. The curry should be of pouring consistency, neither too thick or too thin. Serve hot with plain rice.