Mutton Fry, or as Amma called it ‘braised mutton’, is deboned mutton pieces browned with onion and pungent spices. A combination of fresh green chillies, ginger, garlic and powdered spices. This forms a thick sauce like coating around the mutton pieces. It may contain tomato but is not a necessity. Amma usually made this dish for my father’s ‘bites’, as an accompaniment to alcohol. Other bites included offal like liver braised in onion and spice. Unlike Amma’s Durban Mutton Curry, braised mutton fry has less gravy. It is best enjoyed with Parotta or Roti.
Variations of Mutton Fry
Amma’s braised mutton is very much like Kerala Pepper Fry, mutton in a dry thick sauce. Here red pepper is used as the main spice. For my recipe I use mutton chilli powder, garamasala and turmeric. As a variation I sometimes like to top mutton fry with fried green and red bell pepper strips.
Mutton fry can be made with both mutton and lamb meat. Mutton in this recipe refers to sheep meat.
Mutton Fry vs Mutton Curry
Mutton fry has less gravy than mutton curry. It also contains no added water and simply relies on the juices contained within ingredients used to form the thick texture.
How to Make Mutton Fry
To make mutton fry I usually marinate the meat in a ginger and garlic paste, turmeric and oil. I then braise this in an onion mixture made up of onion and green chillies. I prefer blending this for optimum results. You could also slice onions fine by hand, like Amma used to. I love onions! and love the thick luscious texture they make around the meat. I often use two whole onions. If you are less of an onion fan, simply use less.
I allow the meat to marinate for at least an hour, before browning on a hot pan. Onion mixture is added and fried until it caramelizes. At this point I add powdered spice, followed by one grated tomato.
Mutton Fry Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 kg boneless mutton or lamb meat
- 2 whole onions
- 2 green chillies
- 1 grated tomato
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garamasala
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For Marinade
- 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste
- half teaspoon turmeric powder or freshly grated turmeric
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- coriander for topping
Instructions:
- Marinate the meat. Combine the ginger and garlic paste with turmeric and oil. Mix into meat. Cover and place in fridge for an hour.
- Prepare the tomato. Soak in boiling water for 15 minmutes. This will crack the skin, allowing easy peeling. Slice in half, remove seeds and grate.
- Make the onion and chilli paste by blending the onion and chilli together. Or slice onion and chilli fine by hand.
- Heat a pan on medium heat. Add oil. Place marinated mutton pieces on pan. Sear until slightly brown. Add onion.
- Once the onions are soft and brown. Add powdered spices. Fry for 3-5 minutes.
- Add grated tomato. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until all liquid has evapourated, leaving a thick luscious coating around the meat.
- Enjoy warm with Parotta and a green salad.