The Handi mutton recipe is a delicacy in Azamgarh. This mutton recipe is rich in spices and a delightful aroma. You can taste the flavour of various Indian spices in a single dish. This recipe is well served in a Handi. The preparation of this recipe is carried out in two stems-normal cooking of mutton dish followed by dum cooking for 5 minutes before serving. Before serving the already prepared dish is further cooked for 5 minutes with the dum method. The dum cooking for 5 minutes gives this recipe an earthy flavour which makes it a unique dish cooked in traditional style.
Traditionally, this recipe is cooked in mustard oil however to suppress the strong aroma of mustard water is added to hot oil. This recipe is cooked over an open flame contrary to several other mutton dishes. This unique cooking style enhances the flavour and aroma of the dish. This mouth-watering cuisine possesses an earthy and smoky flavour that is a delicacy to many food lovers in India. If you haven’t tried this recipe yet, here is your opportunity to make a homemade Azamgarh special handi mutton recipe.
Ingredients
- 750 gms mutton
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 cup red onion paste
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp red chilli powder for rich colour
- 1 cup mustard oil
- 4-5 dried red chilli
- 4-5 green chilli
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2-3 black cardamom
- 2-3 green cardamom
- 1-2 stick cinnamon
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3-4 cloves
- 1-2 star anise
- Pure ghee
- Finely chopped
- green chilli & coriander leaves
- Salt to taste
- Water
Method
- Take a cooking pot and place it over an open fire made out of wood
- When the pot gets heated add mustard oil and continues heating for 5 minutes
- To reduce the strong aroma of mustard oil, add a cup of water to the heated oil
- Add bay leaves, cumin seeds, cardamom, black pepper, clove, cinnamon, star anise, green, and dried red chillies to the oil and heat the mixture until the spices get brown.
- Add ginger and garlic paste to the mixture along with turmeric powder, garam masala, and chilli powder to the pot and stir it well.
- Add onion paste to the mixture after 5-10 minutes and stir it well until the spices are cooked properly (mixture will be brown and oil will get separated from the spices)
- Add mutton to the mixture and cook the dish for 40-45 minutes over a high flame or until the mutton is properly cooked (mutton pieces become tender).
- Take the cooked dish in an earthen pot and add 1 teaspoon ghee, coriander leaves, and finely chopped green chilli, and cover it with aluminium foil (it can be sealed by other means as well for dum cooking). Then put the pot on heat for 5 minutes and your recipe is ready to be served.
Azamgarh’s special handi mutton dish is well served with naan (plain/butter/garlic). It can also be served along with hot piping rice.
