Curry recipes keep popping up on a certain – Social Medium – occasionally one looks worthy of actually watching. The Mutton Curry as cooked by – Aqib – has the 
Thick Masala which Hector prefers by far to the – soupy – creations served up in Mainstream Curry Houses. That’s what made me watch, then I realised that the order of introducing the ingredients was the reverse of the traditional, i.e. starting with Onions, then Tomatoes, Ginger Garlic etc. This is something I tried in April during Lockdown, another media inspired approach. We all have the same ingredients and they feature in this Recipe, yet the outcomes vary markedly. One new ingredient in – Aqib’s Mutton Curry – is the use of Red Fried Onions. Anything that avoids slicing masses of Onion is to be welcomed. Frozen Onions I do use when cooking in bulk, however, they tend to introduce unnecessary liquid early in the cooking. So, here we go:
The Marinade includes Lemon Juice, having tried Yoghurt and Vinegar in times gone by, this is something I had never thought of, kinda’ obvious. Overnight would no doubt have been better, however, Hector is just back from a trip, shopping had to be done today.
My nearest Halal Butcher offered to cut the Lamb on the-bone – small. He did me no favours, somehow I still ended up with large cuts of meat and huge bones.
The whole Spices were fried in the minimal Oil. Slitting open the Cardamom is something I was taught on my Indian Curry Course, Aqib really went for it, Hector followed suit.
When the Meat was introduced, I realised just how much work lay ahead, this would would require non-stop stirring. The full eight minutes, more, led to the Oil and juices from the Meat separating.
This was a totally different approach and was potentially producing a better outcome than using a pressure cooker to infuse Flavour, which at the time of writing feels comparable.
The Dried Red Onions were added to the blender along with the Yoghurt. This did not feel like anywhere near enough Onion and so I added more. The result was a Onion-Yoghurt Paste, quite different from the video. In hindsight I could have added the Yoghurt to the Onion and let it drip through the interstices.
The Blended Tomatoes looked too – white – I had to add some Purée. More Salt, of course, Seasoning is all.
It was around this point in the video I became less convinced, and then appalled. Many demonstrations cheat when it comes to cooking Lamb/Mutton. It’s going to take an hour on the heat at some point. TV programmes often-times suggest Lamb can be cooked in less, no way, Pedro! Aqib was being honest here, but how much water? Never, has Hector added so much water to a Curry.
With the lid on, the Meat cooked, then it was time for lid off and some serious reduction.
How does when tell when Lamb is cooked? Aqib let out the secret! Remove a piece of Lamb from the pot with a spoon. Using a teaspoon, try to cut through the Meat. If it goes through, the Lamb is suitably Tender, cook longer if that is one’s preference.
This Recipe uses both Methi and Coriander, another attraction. I held back on the Methi, stick to the Recipe, Hector. And so little Oil.
Instead of serving in individual karahi as is the norm at Hector’s House, I placed the pot on the table. In this way, Marg could avoid the added Chillies. I had given Marg a warning, as I have been forced to do of late. The stock Red Chilli Powder has to be replaced, fierce, a little goes a hell of a long way.
Marg took a modest portion, her customary comment about the Spice Level was forthcoming. It wasn’t that strong, however this did not stop Marg having sliced apple to calm her palate.
The Masala had the telltale look of being blended, yet it itself had not been. The Yoghurt gave a slight creaminess. The consistency was exactly how I think a Masala should be and there was no Oil to separate once served.
Spicy? Yes, my fault, ah but the Seasoning … this was truly spot on. The Meat was quite simply superb. Tender of course, but giving off so much Flavour. The Marinade had worked its magic.
There was a – tang – which surprised given how long ago the Lemon Juice was a factor in the preparation. The distinctive Flavour of the Cardamoms was encountered on a few occasions, without them actually being consumed. The two Herbs had also added something more. The Overall Flavour was that of a Curry way different from that which the Hector tends to produce. Success.
Marg went back for more, concentrating on finding the smaller pieces of Meat, this left an imbalance. It was I, the perpendicular pronoun, who had to deal with the huge pieces of Bone with attached Meat. So it goes.
Eventually Marg did acknowledge that this was a Quality Curry.
This Recipe is certainly one I would use again.