Durban’s best mutton curry

We thought we would give you a taste of Durban’s best mutton curry with this easy to follow video recipe!

You can make and enjoy it at home to keep your craving at bay! Or at least until you can enjoy a holiday on the KZN South Coast, AKA the home of the best curries in the country!

While holidaying, what is your favourite curry to enjoy: Beef, lamb, chicken, crab, prawn or ALL OF THE ABOVE!

Traditional Mutton Curry (+- 1 hour to prepare. Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb/chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces)
2 large onions (finely sliced)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 tomato (chopped into small cubes or grated)
1 sachet of tomato paste
¼ cup cooking oil
3 – 4 medium-sized curry (UTD) potatoes
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1 ½ teaspoon rough salt or salt to taste
1 ½ to 2 teaspoons chilli powder (or more)
2 teaspoons curry powder (add more if you prefer a stronger/pungent curry)
1 teaspoon dhania/jeera powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 green chillies (slit)
1 sprig of curry leaves
¼ bunch chopped dhania (to garnish)

METHOD:

Braise onion in oil until golden brown. Add ginger/garlic paste. Stir and then add washed and drained meat. Add masalas (chilli powder, curry powder, dhania /jeera powder and turmeric powder). Toss until meat is well coated.
Add salt and allow the masala to ‘fry’ on low heat for at least 10 minutes, tossing at intervals until it starts to catch at the bottom of the pot.
Add tomatoes and tomato paste and allow to cook until tomatoes are softened. Then add potatoes and a bit of water (1/2 cup or more) and allow to cook on medium to low heat until potatoes are cooked and starting to ‘crack’ up in a curry.
DO NOT STIR during the cooking process as the potatoes will break up. Rather lift the pot and gently shake. Garnish with curry leaves and chopped dhania. If too thick, add a little water and gently shake the pot. Serve with roti, rice or as a bunny chow in bread.

TIPS:

Use meat on the bone, rather than boneless meat as the taste of meat on the bone far outdoes that of boneless meat.
Use UTD (up to date or gravy soakers) potatoes. Best for any curry.
Eshana usually grinds her own dhania /jeera powder as she says it tastes much nicer than the ready ground store-bought pack. She roasts 2 parts dhania seeds and 1 part jeera seeds in a frying pan (separately). Leave to cool and then grind in a coffee/masala grinder. You can grind enough for a week or a month and keep it in a dry, sealed container.
The same applies to ginger/garlic paste. She grinds 2 parts ginger to 1 part garlic. Her recipe: 2kg’s ginger to 1kg garlic, 5 – 6 green chillies, 3 – 4 sprigs curry leaves, and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Grind in a food processor or liquidiser (with a little water). Keep refrigerated in a sealed container (2 months). Keeps for up to 6 months in a freezer.
To get a really nice, thick gravy she suggests you use a sachet of tomato paste instead of the chopped fresh tomatoes. It is especially nice if you use a sachet of tomato paste together with 1 fresh chopped tomato.

Don’t forget to show us some pictures of how your mouthwatering curry came out!

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