Mutton Korma ( மட்டன் குருமா)

 Mutton Korma can be mixed with rice or used as a side dish for rotis, dosas or idlis. A south Indian, spicy version of the korma is found in this post. For the audience, this is K's version of the korma :)

Ingredients

Marination

1/2 kg (2 pounds) Mutton
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Fennel Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Chill powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp plain yogurt

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 inch ginger shredded
1 garlic clove shredded
1 black cardamom
2 reg cardamoms

 Tomato Paste
2 tomatoes
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp fennel Powder
2 tbsp coconut gratings
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 small cinnamon stick

Other
3 cups of chicken stock
1/2 tomato- Finely diced
Chill powder to taste
salt to taste
2 tsp poppy seeds
1Cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 inch ginger shredded
2 cloves of garlic
1 or 2 green chillies

Directions to cook

Marinate the mutton pieces overnight with 1tsp fennel powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp chilly powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tbsp yogurt, 1 black cardamom, 1 clove of garlic diced, 1 inch of ginger.

Heat a pan over the stove and drizzle some oil in it
Once the oil is heated, shallow fry the mutton pieces to give it that sear on its surface.
Once there is a crisp layer formed on the surface of the mutton pieces, pressure cook them with some chicken stock for upto three whistles.
While the mutton is getting pressure cooked, in the same pan used to fry the mutton add one cinnamon stick crushed, one black cardamom crushed and 2 cloves and saute till it starts to splutter.

Now add the onions, some salt and saute it until the onions are golden brown
Now add the green chillies, 1 inch ginger shredded and 2 garlic cloves minced.
Now add the diced 1/2 tomato and 2 tsp of poppy seeds and stir to cook

In a food processor make a paste out of the tomato paste ingredients. The paste should not be too watery. Now add this paste to the pan's contents and continue to saute for 3 or 4 mins.

 

Once the mutton is pressure cooked, add the cooker's contents to the mixture in the pan. If you want the korma to be more spicy add more chilly powder and let it cook in low heat for 30 minutes. 

When the korma is done, add some curry leaves and stop the cooking process.

Tip

Slow cooking the mutton would give it a better taste
Shallow frying the mutton would give it that crispness
You can replace chicken stock with water for pressure cooking. 

Garlic Rasam (பூண்டு ரசம்)

 
Rasam mixed with rice is a very popular South Indian dish that goes well with most vegetables at the side. A variant of rasam, made with garlic, is especially good for digestion.

Ingredients

1. Asafotedia powder- 1 pinch
2. A few curry leaves -to taste
3. Garlic Cloves sliced thin- 10-11
4. Lemon sized tamarind
5. Red Chillies2-3
6. Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
7. Tomatoes chopped 1-2
8. Turmeric powder 1tsp

Directions

1.  Take the tamarind pulp and make a juice out of it by soaking and squeezing it in water. Keep this aside.
2. Pour about a tablespoon of ghee in a vessel and heat it over the stove.
3. Once the ghee is hot, add some mustard seeds to it. 
4. When the seeds start to splutter, add asafotedia powder, red chillies, garlic cloves and tomatoes. If you are like me and you do not prefer chunks of tomatoes in your food, make a paste out of the tomatoes and add it instead. 
5. Now let it simmer for a minute before you add the turmeric powder. Stir for a couple of more minutes so the raw smell of the turmeric disappears. 
6. Add the tamarind juice (without the pulp) and some salt to this mixture. 
7. Let the rasam simmer in the stove for about 10-15 minutes. Within this time, when you notice that the mixture starts to boil, add some curry leaves to it and turn off the stove. Rasam is ready.

Tip
Key to a tasty rasam is that you don't over cook it. Stop the cooking process once you notice the first boil.