Aloo Gosht

Ingredients

• 750 g bone-in mutton, cut into medium curry pieces, washed and drained
• 500 g potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into large quarters
• ⅓ cup cooking oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick, about 5 cm
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
• 1½ tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 3 cups hot water, plus a little more if needed
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns, and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of the salt. Fry, stirring often, until they turn deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat if they colour too fast.
3. Add the mutton and ginger-garlic paste. Raise the heat to medium-high and fry, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink and the raw smell of the garlic has gone, about 8 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and the rest of the salt. Cook, stirring and pressing the tomatoes down, until they break down into a paste and oil begins to separate at the edges, about 8 minutes.
5. Lower the heat, then stir in the whisked yogurt a spoonful at a time so it does not curdle. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the masala looks thick and glossy.
6. Pour in the hot water and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 50 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mutton is nearly tender when pierced with a knife. Add a little hot water if the pot looks dry.
7. Add the potatoes and green chillies, pushing the potatoes down into the gravy. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft when pierced but still hold their shape and the meat is fully tender.
8. If the gravy is thin, uncover and cook on medium for 5 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon and a layer of oil shines on top. Sprinkle in the garam masala and turn off the heat.
9. Rest the curry with the lid on for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and ginger matchsticks, then serve hot.

Tips

• Cut the potatoes into large pieces. Small ones break down and turn the gravy pasty before the mutton is ready.
• Do not rush the onions. Deep golden onions give the gravy its colour and sweetness.
• Add only hot water, never cold, so the meat does not tighten and the simmer stays steady.
• Older mutton or beef may need 20 to 30 extra minutes before you add the potatoes. Check the meat first.