Serves 6

Ingredients :  

750 g mutton pieces
9oz (250g) bones for adding flavour - optional
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 cup whole milk yoghurt
250g small madras onions, chopped
1/4 cup ghee or oil
4 cloves
2 large black cardamoms
4 green cardamoms
2 cinnamon leaves (tej patta)
1 blade of mace (javitri)
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
Salt to taste - 1 level teaspoon

METHOD :

1. Boil the mutton and bones with the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 6 cups water in a cooking pot for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the meat and set aside. Skim off the scum and strain and reserve the cooking liquid.

2. Make a paste of chilli powder by mixing with a little water. Whisk the yoghurt and set aside.

3. Fry the onions in the ghee or oil in a pot until lightly browned (this will take about 8 minutes). Add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon leaves and the mace and fry for 1 minute. Then add the coriander, fennel, ginger and turmeric powders, and the chilli paste and 2 tablespoons water and stir continuously. After 2 minutes add the meat. Saute for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and add the yoghurt, stir well and saute for a few minutes.

4. Add salt to taste, together with 4 cups water. Cook until the meat is tender. Before serving, remove the cinnamon or bay leaves, the large cardamoms and mace if intact.