The colonial era was an exciting phase where a lot of experimentation happened over Indian Cuisine. Little tweaks to the original recipes which suited the Brits while retaining the Indianness to it were tried upon and till this date, it enchants us with its unique taste.Every single dish from the colonial days got an exciting story on how it came up and what influenced the unique taste of the dish.
Every Saturday we bring to you one blog from the pages of the featured Food Blogger. This week on FoodFindo, we feature Food Blogger Sujata Roy’s amazing recipe of Railway Mutton Curry which is one from the colonial days.
Sujata Roy is an Indian Food Blogger based in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh and is a dotting mother of two beautiful children. Sujata loves to experiment in the kitchen and particularly enjoys baking cakes and cookies for her loved ones.
She blogs at Batter Up With Sujata(www.batterupwithsujata.wordpress.com) and you can follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BatterUpBySujata.
Following is the blog from Batter Up By Sujata
Railway mutton curry
An easy to cook, delicious and flavourful mutton curry with onions, tomatoes, garlic and some flavourful spices.
Here is a story behind this super delicious mutton curry. It takes you back to the colonial era. It was first served in first class compartment of Indian Frontier Mail or Golden Temple Mail. This spicy mutton curry also used to serve in the railway refreshment room and other long distance train to serve the British palate. It was generally served with bread or dinner rolls.
There are many variations of this curry which indicates the train routes.
Our this week’s #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is #Colonialinspired cuisines. I think its the best event to share this less spicy version of Bengali mutton curry or mangsor jhol.
One of story behind it that a drunken British officer stumbled into the railway kitchen in midnight. At that time kitchen service was over and the cooks were preparing their own food. And their one dish was spicy and hot Bengali mutton curry. British didn’t like the hot spicy taste so the curry was changed from a spicy curry to less spicy curry by adding curd and coconut milk. The officer overjoyed with the taste and included it on the food menu of train. And he fondly called it Railway mutton curry.
Here is the recipe of one of the most popular mutton curry, a little less spicy version of Bengali mutton curry with coconut milk. Goes well with steamed rice, pulao, roti or Indian flat bread paratha and puri or luchi.
Recipe
Mutton – 250 gram
Onion – 2 large sliced
Potatoes – 2 large
Garlic – 8 cloves finely chopped or crushed
Ginger – 1 inch piece grated or paste
Tomatoes – 2 large ground
Green cardamom – 4 broken or crushed
Cinnamon – 2 inch piece broken or crushed
Cloves – 4 broken or crushed
Mace or javitri – 1 string
Nutmeg powder – a pinch
Bay leaf – 1
Green chilli – 2 – 3 chopped or paste
Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Kasmiri red chilli powder – 2 teaspoon
Mustard oil – 1/3 cup
Coconut milk – 1/2 cup
Ghee or clarified butter – 1 teaspoon optional
Salt to taste
Potato – 2 large
For marination
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Curd – 2 tablespoon
Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Black pepper powder – 1 Teaspoon
lemon juice or vinegar – 1 teaspoon
Method
Wash and drain the mutton pieces. Marinate with ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, curd, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, mustard oil and lemon juice or vinegar. I have used lemon juice.
Marinate and keep it in refrigerator for overnight or 1 – 2 hour.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into half.
I have ground the tomatoes with green chillies, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg powder. If you like you can use them crushed or broken.
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the potatoes. Don’t make them brown. Fry till the colour becomes light golden brown. Remove and keep them aside.
In the same oil add bay leaf. If you are using cardamom, cinnamon etc broken add them too. Add sliced onions and garlic. Saute till the colour becomes brown.
Now add the tomato paste along with ginger, green chilli and other spices.
Saute till oil leaves the sides.
Add the mutton pieces and salt. Add salt carefully. We have already used salt in marination.
Stir continuously to avoid sticking to the bottom. Fry til the mutton pieces change it’s colour. Add the potatoes and mix well.
Add hot water as require to make thick gravy. Don’t make it runny.
Transfer it to the pressure cooker. And pressure cook for 3 – 4 whistle.
Open the lid and check if done or not. Mine is little undone so I have pressure cooked on simmer for 10 minutes more.
After opening the lid add the coconut milk. If you are using ghee or clarified butter add it too. Mix and close the lid again.
Serve after 10 – 12 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao, roti or Indian flat bread, paratha, puri or luchi.
Or simply enjoy it with toasted bread.
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