First and foremost, there is not one way to cook Mutton Korma
Our search on Internet for that perfect plate served at Karim’s near Jama Masjid in the cramped by lanes of Old Delhi landed up with results that except for agreeing on mutton along with a paste of deep-fried onions and curd apart from few spices as main ingredients along with the use of fire took different directions on everything else.
Every recipe teaches you something. But with Mutton Korma our learning curve was quite steep.
But in the hindsight it was understandable
We’ve had lots of Mutton Korma. From the most rustic Muslim kitchens, where it is considered such a big thing that it’s cooked either on special occasions like Id or for special guests, to the most basic dhabas, cheap wayside restaurants popular amongst the hoi polloi to large scale feasts on marriages to sought after places especially known for this dish and the difference in taste, flavour, colour and texture have varied so much that we could never be certain which one was the one we could call authentic.
We pick one
After going through a few recipes on the Internet and an agreement between both of us—my wife and I—on the one that appealed most to our cooking sensibilities, we commence the preparation.
Then we look at each other’s faces
“Marinate mutton for two hours.” As I read out loud from my mobile we look at each other’s faces asking each other what to do. We had not made provision for it since the recipe my wife had read the night before did not involve any marination. I, the one who hardly has any experience with cooking fix my glance at her, my Chef.
‘Let’s do it this way,’ feeling the heat of responsibility she chirps. ‘While I fry the onions, wait for it to cool before we turn it into paste, you prepare the marinade.’
‘In the mean while,’ she said, ‘I will also finish other household works. It will give us at least one hour.’ She pauses for a while. ‘Let’s see how it goes.’
‘Aye, aye Captain.’ I sing along.
As we prepare the marinade aroma fills the room
And our younger daughter comes rushing into kitchen. She thinks that the “chicken” was done and was smacking her tongue ready to pounce upon it. The ingredients making the fragrance salivating were two cups of curd, whopping six tablespoons of ghee (clarified butter) and an assortment of roasted and crushed spices along with slit green chilies and coriander and red chilly powders. The portents seemed good.
An hour later the marinade along with mutton goes into the wok where it leaves lots of water. Lots of stirring and tossing goes in.
20 minutes later we add the paste of fried onions. A while later the paste starts sticking to the bottom when a quarter tea spoon nutmeg powder and some crushed mace join in to add to the aroma.
After another 10 minutes we add two cups of water and cover the blend for another 30 minutes stirring the content occasionally. It takes about an hour when Mrs. peeps into the wok.
‘It will take some more time.’ She announces. ‘We will do it once we get back from the bazaar,’ she says while she turns off the knob of the gas burner. The flame sputters for a moment and then dies.
Another 30 minutes and Mutton Korma is done
It takes another 30 minutes on low flame when the meat gets done.
She serves Mutton Korma with roti and some onion rind. The gravy tastes good but mutton lacks in flavor.
An overnight in fridge when the gravy will percolate inside the flesh, we know, will get us the taste we are hoping for.
The lunch next day turns into a feast. We just can’t have enough of it.
Our Mutton Korma turns out to be yet another version of this famous dish.
The lunch turns into a feast. We just can’t have enough of it. Our Mutton Korma turns out to be yet another version of this famous dish. Click To Tweet