In a pressure cooker, add 2 bay leaves, 2 to3 cardamoms (elaichi), 5 to 6 cloves (lavang), 1-inch cinnamon stick (dalchini), 2 dry red chillies and 400 gms mutton curry pieces. Add1 cup water, salt to taste and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat. And let the pressure release. Open the cooker and remove the 2 red chilies.

For the ground masala, heat oil in a pan , add1 tsp chopped ginger, 1 tsp chopped garlic and saute for a minute. Add ¾ part of 2 chopped onions. Save the rest for tempering.

Saute the onions, ginger and garlic till onions are soft and light brown.

add ½ tsp turmeric (haldi) powder and 1 tbsp coriander (dhaniya) powder. Saute till masala is cooked. Add a little salt. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

transfer the cooked masala, and the 2 dry red chillies form the mutton pressure cooker to a small grinder jar and make a fine paste.

for the buttermilk grave, in a kadai, dry roast 2 tbsp besan (gram flour), 1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder and ½ tsp turmeric. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes till besan cooks and aroma comes through.

at this stage add 2 cups of buttermilk and mix well until the gram flour is absorbed into the buttermilk and there are no lumps in the gravy. Allow it to come to a boil.

then reduce the heat and allow the gravy to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes so that the gravy thickens.

now add the mutton stock from the pressure cooker, add the ground masala and mix well. Allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

next add the cooked mutton pieces from the pressure cooker and mix well. Cover and cook on simmer for a few minutes.

for the tempering, add 1 tbsp oil in a tempering pan. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing) and allow the cumin to splutter. Add the remaining chopped onions and cook till light brown.

add half to the mutton curry and stir it in. Add the remaining tempering over the curry when serving.