Masala Mutton Chops Are The Ideal Weeknight Dinner

For a meat-lover is there anything as satisfying as soft, flavourful mutton that’s just falling off the bone with softness? If you’re already drooling, then this Masala Mutton Chop recipe is perfect for you. Though the final product of mutton    chops looks complicated, the process is actually very simple and even for a quick weeknight dinner served up with some rotis, this dish can be hearty and fulfilling without much effort. 

The key part of most meat dishes and the secret to tender mutton is marination, if you are making this recipe in advance, you can create a yoghurt marinade with the same spices listed below and leave the chops to sit overnight to really impart the best flavour, but if you need to make them quickly, then using an acid like vinegar or lemon juice can help speed up the process and tenderise the meat.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 500 gms mutton chops
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ⅓ tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1.5 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
  • ½ tbsp Lemon Juice
  • ⅓ tsp White Vinegar

Mutton Chops:

  • 3-4 tbsp oil
  • 3 elaichi
  • 4 cloves
  • 7-8 Peppercorns
  • 7-8 curry leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 medium-sized onion 
  • 1½ tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 3 green chillies 
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 Lemon 
  • ½ cup tomato purée
  • ½ cup Yoghurt
  • Salt to taste
  • Mint leaves chopped
  • Coriander leaves chopped

 

Method:

  • In a large bowl, wash and drain the mutton chops, add coriander powder, red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Leave them to marinade for an hour.
  • In a pan, heat up some oil and add the elaichi, cloves, pepper and cinnamon and let it saute for 30 seconds. Take them out and blend them into a paste before returning them to the pan.
  • Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently until they turn brown, remove the mixture and keep it aside.
  • Clear some space in the pan and lay the mutton chops flat. Let them sear on one side for about a minute before flipping them over and browning the other side. 
  • Mix in the onions and spices, cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 5-10 minutes.
  • Chop up the green chillies and add them to the pan with the curry leaves, turmeric, chilli powder and ginger garlic paste. 
  • Squeeze in some lemon juice and cover for another 5 minutes. 
  • Add the tomato puree and cook it off until it's mixed with the onions and spices then add in the yoghurt and let the masala cook together for another 5-10 minutes.
  • Garnish with mint and coriander leaves and serve hot.