Mutton Dalcha – How to make Mutton Dalcha – is a side gravy prepared with combination of meat, lentil and vegetables. Its a part of Hyderabad Cuisine but also a very common dish in many tamilian muslim community. Mostly this is prepared as side for biryani or pulao.. goes well with idli dosa and chapati too. There are many variations to this recipe… some include a couple of veggies, some with addition of thick tamarind pulp and some with just plain chana dal and some with combination of dals. No matter whichever you choose, its still going to taste good and here is a simple version from my kitchen…
Try our THALAPPAKATTI MUTTON BIRYANI AMBUR MUTTON BIRYANI
Mutton Dalcha
Ingredients
Ingredients for tempering
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 2 each Bay leaf
- 3 each Kalpasi must for this recipe
- 2 each Cloves
- 1 stick Cinnamon small
- 2 each Cardamom
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 each Star anise
Ingredients for saute
- 1/2 kg Mutton with bones
- 1 cup Onions preferably chinna vengayam/shallots
- 1/2 cup Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Toor dal Soaked for 30 minutes
- 2 tablespoons Chana dal Soaked for 30 minutes
- 1 each Green chilli slit open
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon Salt edible rock salt or kosher/crystal salt
- 2 cups Water
- 1/4 cup Coconut Paste 1/4 cup grated grind with water
- 1/4 cup Coriander leaves for garnish
- 5 each Curry leaves for garnish
Instructions
Prep work
- Lets get some prep work done before we actually start the recipe. Any lentil (dal) i personally prefer to soak for atleast 30 minutes. This will help them to cook fast also will not cause any gastric issues. Soak toor and chana dal in enough water for 30 minutes. Clean you mutton... chop all the veggies, make fresh ginger garlic paste and also grind fresh coconut to make a thick coconut paste.
- Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker pan. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, Kalpasi, cardamom, star anise and cumin seeds.
- Now add in chopped onions, green chilli, tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Saute well to make the onions turn translucent.
- Once the onion mix cooks a bit... add in the mutton and saute a bit in that mixture till is oozes the meat juice.
- Now drain all the water from the soaked dal and add it to this.
- Time to add all the masala powders. Turmeric, Red Chili powder, Coriander powder and salt. Saute well to get rid of the raw smell.
- Add in 2 cups of water. Adjust salt if necessary at this stage.
- Pressure cook upto 6 whistles. A good tender baby goat / mutton should cook fast... mature meat takes additional whistle.
- Once the pressure releases... gently open the lid. The mutton will be cooked to tender, also the dal... which many cook separately, mash it and dd. But in our case the dal also equally cook to a mushy consistency. Just give a stir and it will blend well. (Soaking helps them to cook to this mushy consistency)
- Now keep the flame at low and simmer... add int he ground coconut paste. You may simmer for few minutes until desired consistency and switch off.
- Finally garnish with chopped coriander and curry leaves.
- You may serve this as a side gravy for biryani, pulao or chapati.
Notes
- Adding a veggie ( brinjal / bottlegourd / chow chow / potato) is optional. You may pressure cook along. I decided to make it plain today and hence not adding any.
- You may add veggies if feeding a large crowd and need for quantity.
- Coconut paste/ coconut milk works. Add in khus khus with coconut for a rich shinny gravy.
- You may add roasted gram / pottukadalai powder to thicken instantly in the place of soaked dals for variation.
- Adding Tamarind is one version... you can use less tomatoes and add in more thick tamarind pulp which gives a dark tinged gravy.
Here are some mutton gravies to try … MUTTON CURRY MUGHLAI MUTTON MASALA
Lets get some prep work done before we actually start the recipe. Any lentil (dal) i personally prefer to soak for atleast 30 minutes. This will help them to cook fast also will not cause any gastric issues. Soak toor and chana dal in enough water for 30 minutes. Clean you mutton… chop all the veggies, make fresh ginger garlic paste and also grind fresh coconut to make a thick coconut paste.
Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker pan. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, Kalpasi, cardamom, star anise and cumin seeds. Try our MUTTON KHEEMA CURRY
Now add in chopped onions, green chilli, tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Saute well to make the onions turn translucent.
Once the onion mix cooks a bit… add in the mutton and saute a bit in that mixture till is oozes the meat juice.
Now drain all the water from the soaked dal and add it to this. Try our CHETTINAD MUTTON KUZHAMBU which is something similar but minus the lentil.
Time to add all the masala powders. Turmeric, Red Chili powder, Coriander powder and salt. Saute well to get rid of the raw smell.
Now keep the flame at low and simmer… add int he ground coconut paste. You may simmer for few minutes until desired consistency and switch off.
Finally garnish with chopped coriander and curry leaves.
You may serve this as a side gravy for biryani, pulao or chapati.
Dalcha is an usual at our home on sundays and on one such sunday our plate looked like this served along with MUTTON BIRYANI
2 Comments
Hi there,
I can’t find kalpasi anywhere here, is there anything else I can use as a substitute? Or if I leave it out will it still taste good?
Thanks!
Shaila
That’s ok Shaila, skip it. It’s available online as black stone flower check Amazon..but now it’s ok to skip. Thanks ?