Chettinad Mutton Kuzhambu Recipe – Mutton Kulambu

Chettinad Mutton kuzhambu, a spicy lip smacking mutton gravy cooked with authentic Chettinad spices and with a touch of tangy tamarind & hint of coconut!

Mutton Kuzhambu is the highlight for any sunday special lunch and this week I want to try something different from the usual family style and tried this recipe from Solai’s True Chettinad kitchen for a chettinad version….lip smacking good!

Just a regular mutton gravy but with a little twist of adding tamarind extract and also flavoring it with coconut fennel khus khus paste which gives that unique chettinad touch. I made this as a side gravy for biryani, on special demand the leftover was served for dinner along with flaky parottas!

Print Recipe

Chettinad Mutton Kuzhambu

Chettinad Style Mutton Curry, a perfect side dish for tiffin items like idli, dosa, parotta and also for rice!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: chettinad, Indian, south indian, tamil nadu

Keyword: chettinad, gravy, kolambu, kulambu, kuzhambu, mutton, mutton kuzhambu

Servings: 6

Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

To saute

• 1/2 kg Mutton
• 1 cup Shallots / Sambar vengayam
• 1/2 cup Tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Kuzhambu Milagai Thool
• 1.75 tsp Salt
• 2 each Bay leaf
• 1 each Star Anise
• 3 each Cardamom
• 6 each Cloves
• 3 small Cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 6 each Curry leaves
• 2 tbsp Tamarind extract
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 2 cups Water

To blend

• 1/4 cup Fresh Coconut
• 1 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1 tsp Poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup Water

To garnish

• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves
• 5 each Curry leaves

Instructions

• Prep these before you start... clean the mutton, chop the veggies, crush or make a paste with ginger garlic.
  
• Assemble the masala powder and make the coconut khus khus paste.
  
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan and season with bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, fennel seeds & curry leaves
  
• Add in ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds.
  
• Now add the roughly chopped chinna vengayam / sambar onions and fry a little bit.
  
• Followed by the chopped tomatoes and cook till soft.
  
• Now add the mutton pieces with turmeric powder and a pinch of salt.
  
• This step is very important according to Solai auntys recipe… its called as ” Thirakkirathu” meaning sauteing the meat well in the oil until the water oozes out from it. So saute the meat well until they brown a bit.
  
• Now add the kuzhambu thool and the remaining salt.
  
• Pour in water, just about 2 cups or to immerse the meat.
  
• Cover the the lid and pressure cook upto 4 whistles.
  
• Once the steam releases, slowly open the lid and your gravy will look like this.
  
• Now start simmering it over low flame adding in the tamarind extract.
  
• Grind coconut, fennel seeds and khus khus to a fine paste using little water. Once the gravy thickens a bit, add in the coconut, fennel khus khus paste.
  
• Simmer for few minutes until the oil separates… garnish with curry and coriander leaves. Switch off!
  
• Serve as a side for idli / dosai / parotta or top it over steaming rice or biryani!

Video

Notes

 

Notes

• Using Kuzhambu thool gives nice texture and thickness to the gravy as it includes toor dal which helps to thicken the gravy. You also substitute it with sambar powder which also helps.
• Usually for tender baby goat meat / mutton the meat should cook in 4 whistles. The raw meat will look pink in color if the meat is tender. If the meat is too red in color then the meat may be tough and needs little longer to cook.

Notes

• Using Kuzhambu Thool gives nice texture and thickness to the gravy as it includes toor dal which helps to thicken the gravy. You also substitute it with sambar powder which also helps.
• Usually for tender baby goat meat / mutton the meat should cook in 4 whistles. The raw meat will look pink in color if the meat is tender. If the meat is too red in color then the meat may be tough and needs little longer to cook.