Kolhapuri Mutton Rassa Recipe

Tambda and Pandhara Rassa are a spicy and very tasty lip smacking traditional flavourful Maharashtrian Mutton curry preparation. Kolhapuri Mutton Rassa is Maharashtrian way to cook mutton in non-veggie marathi houses. A common variant of the dish is the Pandhara Rassa, served in the kitchens of Maharashtra that is served along with sliced onions. Visually similar to the Tambada is, however, less spicy version of Mutton.

It is traditionally prepared marinated pieces of meat of mutton, in a mixture of spices and yogurt. The meat is then cooked in a traditional oven. The Punjabi version of the dish, however, is cooked over hot coals and it is not always of boneless meat. The pieces of meat are sprinkled with the ghee, a clarified butter, at small intervals in order to increase the flavor. It is usually eaten with sauce chutney of coriander and green tamarind, or used for the preparation of Mutton Rassa, a dish of curry.

The Tambda Rassa is a typical dish of Maharashtra and is one of the most colorful and tasty dishes of this region that is rich in charm and history. The dish is essentially a lamb stew prepared with a nice thick sauce made of onions, tomatoes, ginger and classic Indian spices, but what sets it apart is the bright red color, due to the dust of pepper.

But fear not, the Tambda Rassa is very delicate, because the chilies are dried seedless and therefore have an aromatic flavor, but never aggressive. Last note, that goes for the Tambda Rassa, but also for all Indian recipes. The secret to a perfect success of Indian dishes is ghee or clarified butter.

You can replace the oil, but take a little effort and prepare yourself. In traditional recipes, lamb or sheep meat is cooked in a large quantity of oil, with a mixture of spices that includes, among others, ground fennel, anise and especially pepper, a mixture of strong chillies, originating in Kolhapur.

Prep Time: 10 mins ♥ Cook Time: 40 mins ♥ Total Time: 50 mins ♥ Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition facts per serving: 637 calories, 49 grams fat

Ingredients:

2 cloves
10 black peppercorns
2 red chilies
2 potatoes
2 tomatoes
2 onions
1 cup coconut
500 gm mutton
1 cup oil
1 cup coriander
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp curd
2 full bay leaves
1 black cardamom
2 big potatoes
1 inch cinnamon
salt to taste

Recipe Method

Add salt, curd, turmeric and ginger-garlic paste to the meat pieces. Mix well and keep this for 1 hour in marination.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep skillet and add cloves, bay leaf, peppercorn, black cardamom, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies, onion, coconut and tomatoes. Stir fry till they become translucent.

Heat remaining oil in a pressure cooker and add meat and potatoes on a medium flame. Stir fry the mutton till it becomes tender. Add hot water for the gravy and pressure cook till meat is soft. Remove from the cooker into a serving pot.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapati or rice.