Champaran Ahuna Mutton
handi mutton sealed with dough and slow-cooked in mustard oil with whole garlic
Allergens in Champaran Ahuna Mutton: milk, gluten, mustard.
Ingredients
Quantities for 6.
- 1 kg, bone-in shoulder and leg, cut into 4cm pieces Muttonask for a mix of meat and bone
- 150 ml Mustard Oil
- 2 whole bulbs: 1 broken into peeled cloves, 1 crushed to a paste Garlic
- 4 medium, thinly sliced Onion
- 3 tbsp, crushed to a paste Ginger
- 200g, whisked smooth Yogurt
- 8 whole Dried Red Chillithe local ones are mild; use 4 if yours are hot
- 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 3 pods, bruised Black Cardamom
- 2 pieces, 5cm each Cinnamon
- 8 Cloves
- 3 Bay Leaf
- to taste Salt
- 100 ml Water
- 1 cup, made into a stiff dough with water Attafor sealing the lid; discard after cookingoptional
- 4 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesto finishoptional
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Marinate the mutton with the yogurt, both pastes, turmeric, chilli powder and salt for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
- Take the meat out 30 minutes before cooking so it is not fridge-cold going into the pot.
- Knead the atta into a firm rope of dough while the marinade sits. You need it ready the moment the pot goes on dum.
Method
- Heat the mustard oil in a heavy pot until it thins and stops smelling sharp, about 3 minutes, then cool it slightly.Raw mustard oil tastes bitter. Smoking it first is not optional here.
- Fry the bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom and whole dried chillies for 40 seconds until they swell and smell toasty.
- Add the sliced onion and cook on medium until deep brown at the edges, 15 to 18 minutes.Brown, not black. Pull it off the moment the edges darken.
- Tip in the whole peeled garlic cloves and fry 3 minutes until they turn pale gold and lose their raw bite.
- Add the marinated mutton and fry hard on high heat for 12 minutes, stirring, until the yogurt dries off and the oil separates at the sides.This is the stage that builds the colour. If it looks pale, keep going.
- Stir in the coriander powder and cook 2 minutes more, splashing in a tablespoon of water if it catches.
- Pour in the 100 ml water, taste for salt, and bring to a hard boil for 2 minutes.
- Press the rope of dough around the rim, clamp the lid on and cook on the lowest heat for 75 minutes without opening it.Put a tawa under the pot if your smallest flame still runs hot.
- Crack the seal, discard the dough, and check the meat. It should slide off the bone under a spoon. If not, reseal and give it 15 minutes more.
- Scatter over the garam masala and coriander leaves, stir once, and rest 10 minutes off the heat before serving.
Safe temperatures: Whole cuts of mutton, beef and pork are done at 63°C / 145°F, rested 3 minutes. A long braise passes that well before the meat is tender. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated and tastes better on day two. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of hot water; do not microwave on high or the meat tightens.
Nutrition Low estimate
One serving of Champaran Ahuna Mutton (355 g) is about 520 calories, or 147 calories per 100 g.
High protein: 39 g a serving, 30% of the calories
| Per serving355 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 520 kcal | 147 kcal |
| Protein | 39.0 g | 11 g |
| Carbohydrate | 27.1 g | 8 g |
| of which sugars | 5.2 g | 2 g |
| Fibre | 5.5 g | 2 g |
| Fat | 29.0 g | 8 g |
| of which saturated | 4.7 g | 1 g |
| of which unsaturated | 21.5 g | 6 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for garam masala, mutton. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Gluten-free Indian recipes · Bihari recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.