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 "Madurai Mutton Chukka Varuval: Step-by-Step Recipe for Spicy Indian Lamb Fry"

Delicious Madurai Mutton Chukka Varuval Recipe

Ingredients:

To Cook Mutton/Lamb:

Mutton/Lamb - 1/2 kg
Gingelly Oil - 2 tablespoons
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 teaspoons
Curry Leaves - 4 sprigs (divided)
Salt - to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Water - 1 cup

 

For Chukka Masala Powder:

Coriander Seeds - 1 tablespoon
Dry Red Chillies - 6-8
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs

 

For Mutton Chukka Varuval:

Oil - 2–3 tablespoons
Fennel Seeds/Sombu - 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 4
Shallots - 25
Chukka Masala Powder - all ground spices
Pepper Powder - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste

 

For Garnishing:

Fresh Coriander Leaves - a handful

 

Method:

To Cook Mutton/Lamb:

• Clean, wash, and cut the Mutton into small cubes.
• Drain the Mutton pieces in a colander.
• Heat Gingelly Oil in a Pressure Cooker.
• Add Ginger Garlic Paste and 2 sprigs of Curry Leaves. Sauté until fragrant.
• Add Mutton Pieces, Turmeric Powder, and Salt. Sear on low flame until colour changes.
• Cover the Pressure Cooker (without the vent), cook on very low flame for 5 minutes.
• Stir and add water. Cover with vent, cook on high flame for 2 Whistles, then lower and cook for 4-5 more whistles until Mutton is tender.  Modify the cooking duration as per the meat's type and tenderness.

For Chukka Masala Powder:

• Dry roast Coriander Seeds on a low flame until fragrant.
• Add Dry Red Chillies, roast until they puff up.
• Add Cumin Seeds and Curry Leaves, roast for a few minutes.
• Cool and grind into a fine powder.

For Mutton Chukka Varuval:

• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Fennel Seeds and Curry Leaves.
• Sauté Shallots and Green Chillies until shallots are translucent.
• Add Ginger Garlic Paste, sauté until fragrant.
• Sprinkle Chukka Masala Powder, cook on a low flame until fragrant.
• Add cooked Mutton pieces with stock, cook until water is absorbed.
• Cook on a very low flame until Mutton pieces are well coated with Masala.
• Sprinkle Pepper Powder, garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve hot as a side with Rasam, Sambar, or any Curry.
• Enjoy with Yogurt/Curd and Steamed Rice.
• Pair with Biriyanis, Pulaos, Ghee Rice/Nei Choru, Naan, Kulcha, Parotta/Roti, or Chapatis.

Spicy Madurai Mutton Chukka Varuval

Notes:

• Use tender Lamb for best results.
• Adjust cooking time based on meat tenderness.
• Shallots enhance the dish's flavour.
• Dry roast spices carefully to avoid burning.
• Traditional recipe uses Gingelly Oil; substitute as desired.
• More Curry Leaves add aromatic depth.
• Increase Pepper Powder for spicier flavour.
• Adjust spices to taste preference.

 

Savour the Flavours of Madurai with Mutton Chukka Varuval!

    Discover the essence of Madurai cuisine with this tantalizing Mutton Chukka Varuval recipe. Tender mutton pieces infused with aromatic spices like coriander, cumin, and a hint of pepper, cooked to perfection in gingelly oil. This dish pairs beautifully with steamed rice, biriyanis, or your favourite bread. Whether enjoyed with rasam or sambar, its rich flavours and tender texture make every bite a culinary delight.

    Unlock the secrets of authentic Madurai flavours today. Cook up this delightful dish and treat your taste buds to a journey through South Indian culinary excellence. For more recipes and culinary adventures, visit Essence of Life - Food blog, where tradition blend with a modern flair. Happy cooking!

NOTES :

• Can avoid frying the mutton pieces in ghee, but it gives an authentic taste to the dish.
• Can marinate the mutton pieces with turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and 1 cup of curd for 30 minutes.
• Do not brown the onions while frying them for the masala, which would give a bitter taste to the korma.
• Dry roast the spices in order as I have mentioned in the list. (smaller spices tend to brown sooner) 
• Use freshly ground mace and nutmeg powder.
• Can use fresh Screw Pine Leaves (Pandan Leaves ) instead of kewra essence.  Crush them a bit and tie them into a knot before adding it to the gravy.
• Remove the Pandan leaves before serving the Lucknowi Gosht Korma/ Lamb Korma.

KONGU STYLE MUTTON KUZHAMBU

      This style of Mutton Kuzhambu is an authentic way of cooking Mutton/Lamb in Kongu Cuisine.  Kongu Nadu, the region which comprises of Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, Tirupur, Namakkal, Dharapuram, Nilgiris, Kangeyam, parts of Trichy and Dindugal.  Though the name Kongu has been acquired from different sources, one specific source refers it to be as 'Nectar of Flowers'. As the name suggests - the region is absolutely a wonderful land filled with beautiful topography, amiable people and delectable cuisine - as sweet as nectar.
     Though we are basically from Kerala and our almost everyday cooking revolves in Kerala style, we have a special taste & preference for Kongu Cuisine that I have always loved to perfect it from various sources. Not a week goes by without any specific Kongu dish at home, especially Arisi Paruppu Sadham, Kollu Rasam, Uppu Paruppu, Pallipalayam Chicken Varuval and this Mutton Kuzhambu takes a special place comparatively. My husband loves Kongu Cuisine for its mildly spiced versions and flavour-filled combinations. Whatsoever, our family has lived in the city for more than half a century.
     Once when my Brother and my SIL, visited us, we planned to cook Idli and Mutton Curry, then it occurred that let it be Kongu style curry.  My SIL Nithya called her grandmother and got this recipe from her.  This Kongu Style Mutton Kuzhambu is a wonderful Curry with mild spices and coconut as normal for any other Kongunaad dish. The speciality of this Kuzhambu is its unique aroma. This Mutton Kuzhambu is a great combination for Idli, and almost every time I cook this curry it would be for Idli, Kushboo Idli or Kal Dosai.  Goes well with Idiyappam, Appam and rice dishes too.

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Cuisine - Kongu Cuisine (Tamil Nadu, South India)
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium - High
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM


Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 45 Minutes - 1 Hour


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HOW TO COOK KONGU STYLE MUTTON KUZHAMBU

INGREDIENTS:

For Kongu Style Mutton Kuzhambu:

Mutton/Lamb - 500 Gms
Onion - 2 Nos.
Tomatoes - 1 Nos.
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tbspn
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Oil - 2 Tbspn
Salt - To Taste

To Saute and Grind:

Cinnamon 1" Stick - 1 No.
Cloves - 3-4 Nos.
Shallots - 10-12 Nos.
Tomatoes - 1 Nos.
Garlic - 3 Cloves
Ginger - a Small Piece
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 11/2 Tspn
Peppercorns - 10 Nos.
Poppy Seeds/Khus Khus - 2 Tspn
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 2 Tspn
Coriander Powder - 4 Tspn
Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Oil - 1 Tbspn

To Garnish:

Coriander Leaves - Few

METHOD:

To Saute and Grind: 

• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Cloves and Cinnamon Stick in a low flame.
• Add Shallots to the above along with Curry leaves, Ginger and Garlic.
• Add Peppercorns and Cumin Seeds and saute the ingredients until shallots turn translucent.
• Add chopped Tomatoes and saute until tomatoes are well cooked.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Coriander Powder and fry for a while on a very low flame until the raw flavour goes.
• Add grated Coconut and Poppy Seeds and fry them for about 5-8 minutes in a very low flame.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Once cooled down, grind the ingredients to a smooth Paste and keep it aside.

For Kongu Style Mutton Kuzhambu:

• Cook Mutton/ Lamb along with a pinch of Turmeric and salt.
• Heat Oil in a pan, Saute finely chopped Onions along with Curry leaves until onions turn translucent.
• Add Ginger Garlic Paste and saute it until the raw flavour goes.
• Add finely chopped Tomatoes and saute until tomatoes are well cooked.
• Pour in the ground Masala Paste and saute until oil separates.
• Add cooked Mutton pieces to the masala paste and leave it on a low flame for 10 -15 minutes.
• Garnish Kongu Style Mutton Kuzhambu with Coriander Leaves and serve hot.

NOTES:

• Adjust the amount of spices to your preference.
• Adding Khus Khus is purely optional, but it adds thickness to the curry.
• Add cooked Mutton pieces to the gravy and leave it on low flame for a bit of longer time.
• This will help the flavour infuse into the meat.
• I don't add curd/lime juice/vinegar to tenderize the meat while cooking for this curry, this will alter the taste of the curry.
• Soda-bi-carbonate or Raw Papaya does the job without altering the taste.

A QUICK TIP:

• Use raw papaya to tenderize the meat. It is a natural 'MEAT TENDERIZER'.
• Raw papaya contains an enzyme called Papain. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with Papain. Papaya is one of the preferred tenderizers for red meats (Lamb, Mutton & Beef).
• Use a few pieces of Raw Papaya while cooking the meat.  This will tenderize the meat, making it more soft and succulent, without changing its taste and flavour.
• Yoghurt (Curd), Lime Juice, Vinegar, Soda-bi-carbonate all have softening and tenderizing effects on Red Meats.

MADRAS MUSLIM STYLE MUTTON BIRIYANI

     This is my 500th Post.  A long way from the time I started my Blog.  With quite a lot of thoughts and as & how it came out with the flow, I am writing up my 500th Post, which is a Biriyani(my all-time favourite dish).  I wanted to write a Biriyani Recipe as my 1st Post, though there are few Biriyani Recipes in my Blog, I wanted to mark my 500th Post to be something special.  The date and recipe turned out to be special for me on the go.  Today is my Mom & Dad's 47th Wedding Anniversary and I was saving the date to post my 500th Post for the day.
     While I was pondering through my blog, thinking hard to decide upon what to write for my 500th Post, I noticed that all my benchmark posts had been family favourites & above all I had written it with the flow.  No prior planning or thinking.

• 100th Post being Hainanese Chicken Rice, a wonderful recipe which I perfected for my family, 
  
• 200th Post being Mutton Cutlet/Lamb Croquettes, a default starter frequented during festivities, functions, get-togethers etc., at home.  
• 300th Post being Kerala Kallu Shappu Style Beef Roast, a wonderful Kerala Classic which I frequent at home  & 
• 400th Post is a recipe from our family(Syrian Christian household) traditional recipe prepared on Maundy Thursday - Pesaha Appam & Paal.  

     Now for my 500th Post and as always being a Biriyani Lover, here comes yet another Authentic Madras Muslim Style Mutton Biriyani.  But right from my 1st Post to this one, all recipes are tried and tested, some which came out good even at my first attempt and some which I perfected after some trial & errors.
     Muslim Style Biriyani has its own benchmark when it comes to taste, flavour, aroma and texture.  Bhai Veetu Biriyani which means an authentic home style Muslim Biriyani has a special place in the hearts of Biriyani Lovers.  I have been an ardent fan of these Biriyanis that we never miss a Muslim Wedding.  And even during our stay in Chennai(Madras) a few years back, I was really fascinated by the street side Biriyanis which pop out during lunchtime.  We can always see people selling Biriyanis in big Degchis(Vessels) around the corner of a street.  Reddish Orange hued Biriyanis prepared in Basmati Rice with a wonderful aroma.  As always I never used to miss a chance when it comes to tasting Biriyanis. Lately, during our last visit to Chennai, I made sure to eat at Buhari Restaurant which marked its popularity with their traditional Muslim Style Biriyani for years along with their so-called self invented dish, Chicken 65.  This Biriyani is slightly different from Ambur/Vaniyambadi Style Biriyani, though both recipes are from the royal kitchens of Arcot Nawabs.
     Meanwhile, while pondering through the web, my husband came up with this Madras Muslim Style Biriyani and asked me to try it without changing the measurements and method.  And trust me it came out perfect even for the first time.  The aroma of the Biriyani was lingering around the house and needless to say about the perfectly cooked Rice and Meat. The recipe called for using a bit more of Meat compared to the Rice measurement. Also, the ingredients were weighed and used. I would suggest you follow the same.  So I have given most of the measurements in kgs & ml in this recipe.  Also, follow the instructions while sauteing the ingredients and cooking the meat & rice.  This helped me to get perfectly textured Biriyani.


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Cuisine - Madras(Chennai)Tamilnadu, South Indian
Course - Main
Spice Level  - Medium
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Soaking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes.
Cooking Time - 30 - 45 Minutes

HOW TO COOK MADRAS MUSLIM STYLE MUTTON BIRIYANI

MADRAS MUSLIM STYLE MUTTON BIRIYANI

INGREDIENTS:

For Mutton/Lamb Masala:

Mutton - 750 Gms
Big Onions - 400 Gms
Tomato - 250 Gms
Ginger - 75 Gms
Garlic - 50 Gms
Green Chillies - 8 Nos.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 2 Tbspn
Coriander Leaves - a Handful
Mint Leaves - a Handful
Curd - 100 Ml
Oil - 100 Ml
Ghee - 4 Tbspn
Lime Juice - of 1 Lime
Salt - To Taste

Spices:

Cinnamon(2" Piece) - 2 Nos.
Cloves  - 6 -9 Nos.
Cardamoms - 6 -9 Nos.

To Cook Basmati Rice:

Basmati Rice - 500 Gms.
Cinnamon(2" Piece) - 1 Nos.
Cloves - 3 Nos.
Cardamoms - 3 Pods
Salt - To Taste
Water - as required

METHOD : 

 For cooking the Mutton/Lamb Masala :

• Heat Oil in a pan/pressure cooker, add all the ingredients mentioned under 'Spices' and fry them on a medium flame until aromatic.
• Sauté Onions(cut into thin long slices) along with Green Chillies slit into two.
• Cover and Sauté on a medium flame for a minute stirring occasionally.
• Sauté the Onions until it turns into light brown in colour.
• Add in the Garlic Paste and sauté it for about 3-4 minutes until fragrant on a medium flame.
• Then add the Ginger paste and sauté it for about 3-4 minutes until the raw flavour goes.
• Cover and Sauté it on a very low flame for few minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Care should be taken, that it doesn't burn or stick to the vessel.  This can spoil the taste of the Biriyani.
• Sprinkle water, if necessary at this stage.
• Sauté until oil separates from the mix.
• Now add Mutton/Lamb Pieces along with a dash of salt and mix well (add few pieces of papaya at this stage, if using).
• Add finely sliced Tomatoes.
• Sprinkle a handful of Mint and Coriander Leaves.
• Cook this on a medium flame until Tomatoes turn soft & cooked.
• Now add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder along with Curd and mix well.
• Cook this on a low flame until the raw flavour goes and oil separates from the mix.
• Cook the Mutton Pieces until soft and tender.
• If cooking the Lamb/Mutton pieces in a pressure cooker, cook for about 5 whistles on a high flame and another 5-6 whistle on a low flame. 
• Adjust the cooking time to suit the tenderness of the meat.
• Wait until the pressure is totally released.

For cooking the Rice:

• Rinse the Basmati Rice once or twice, moving your fingers through the rice, wash it until the water runs clear.
• Soak the washed rice for about 20 - 30 minutes.
• Boil enough Water in a Vessel/Saucepan.
• Let the Vessel be big enough to hold both Rice & water.
• Drain the soaked Rice.
• Carefully add Soaked Rice along with a dash of Salt,& Spices into the boiling Water.
• Cook until the Rice is half done. Just a boil is more than enough.
• Drain the excess water from the cooked rice pouring it out into a colander.

For Madras Muslim Style Mutton Biriyani:

Over a Griddle(For a Dhum Effect):

• Keep a preheated Chapati griddle below the Biriyani Vessel to give a dhum effect.
• Meanwhile, heat a Chapati griddle on a high flame for a few minutes or until the griddle is very hot.
• Keep this preheated Chapati griddle below the Biriyani Vessel.
• Pour the cooked Mutton/Lamb along with the Masala.
• Add the 1/2 cooked Rice over it.
• Pour in the Lemon Juice and drizzle 2 Tbpsns of Ghee.
• Cover the Vessel with a lid and keep a heavy object on top of it.
• Cook this on a medium-low flame for just 5 Minutes.
• Carefully open the lid and gently stir the ingredients once.
• Again cover the Vessel with the lid and keep the heavy object on top of it.
• Cook this for about 10-12 minutes, then switch off the flame and leave the Biriyani Vessel on the stove top untouched for few minutes.
• Remove the lid and drizzle the remaining 2 Tbspns of Ghee & gently mix the cooked Madras Muslim Style Mutton Biriyani with a long ladle.
• Gently fluff up the Mutton Biriyani so that the ingredients are well combined. 
• Care should be taken not to break the rice strands.
• Serve Madras Muslim Style Mutton Biriyani along with Curd-Onion Raitha, Brinjal Curry or any preferred vegetarian or non-vegetarian side dishes.

Baking in an Oven(for Dhum Effect) : 

• Preheat the oven to 450° F/230°C.
• Pour the cooked Mutton/Lamb along with the Masala into a big bake-proof bowl.
• Add the 1/2 cooked Rice over it.
• Pour in the Lemon Juice and drizzle 2 Tbpsns of Ghee.
• Cover the Biriyani Bowl with an Aluminium foil and keep it in the middle rack of the oven.
• Bake the Madras Muslim Style Mutton Biriyani for about 30 minutes.
• Leave it aside untouched for a few minutes.
• Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbspns of Ghee & Gently fluff up the Mutton Biriyani, so that the ingredients are well combined. 
• Care should be taken not to break the rice strands.
• Serve Madras Muslim Style Mutton Biriyani along with Curd-Onion Raitha, Brinjal Curry or any preferred vegetarian or non-vegetarian side dishes.

NOTES :

• Measure & use the ingredients mentioned for the Recipe.
• Well-seasoned Basmati /Jeerakasamba Rice plays a vital role in the texture of a Biriyani. 
• This recipe calls for Basmati Rice can also prepare it with Jeerakasamba Rice.
• Soaking the rice helps in getting perfectly cooked rice.
• Cook the rice with enough water until 1/2 done. Just a boil is more than enough.
• Adjust the amount of Red Chilli Powder and Green Chillies to suit your spice level. 
• Adjust the Spices to suit your preference
• Grind Garlic & Ginger separately and sauté Garlic first and then follow it with Ginger.
• Garlic paste needs to be sauteed a little longer than Ginger paste.
• Adding lemon juice is to avoid rice from getting sticky.
• Mix both Rice and Lamb together and cook in a dhum style for perfectly cooked Biriyani. 
• Cooking in Dhum helps the Mutton Biriyani not to get burnt at the bottom of the vessel and also yields a wonderful texture.
• While fluffing up the rice mix it gently.
• Can also cook the same recipe with Beef/Chicken.  Adjust the cooking time accordingly.

______________________________________________________________________________________

A QUICK TIP :

• Use Raw Papaya to tenderize the meat.  It acts as a natural 'MEAT TENDERIZER'.
• Raw papaya contains an enzyme called Papain.  The connective tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with Papain.
• Papaya is one of the preferred tenderizers for red meats (Lamb, Mutton & Beef).
• Use a few pieces of raw papaya while cooking red meats.  This will tenderize the meat, making it more soft and succulent, without changing its taste and flavour.
• Yogurt/Curd, Lime Juice, Vinegar, Soda-bi-carbonate, all have softening and tenderizing effects on Red meat.