Varatharacha Mutton Curry or Mutton in Roasted Coconut Curry

In Kerala,most of the dish has a presence of coconut..Most non or non veg curry is made either with extracted coconut milk,coconut paste or roasted coconut paste..There are many types of mutton/beef curry or dry gravy like mutton/beef stew, naadan mutton/beef curry, beef varatiyath( Beef gravy) etc..Will share these in my later post..Today, I am sharing a recipe of mutton with roasted coconut curry,it is called 'varatharacha irachi curry'in Kerala...In this curry, shredded coconut is pan roasted along with spices and blended to make smooth roasted coconut paste and combined in the curry..I made this curry last week for dinner for my in-laws who is there for short visit to UAE,as they are leaving to their hometown that day..I had the combination with pathal/ pathiri ( rice flat bread).My hubby and my in-laws loves this curry so much..I got the recipe from  here, but I slighly modified according to my taste..Everyone has their own method for making this curry..Do try this curry and impress your family..

    Ingredients:

        For Masala:

• Mutton (Goat meat) - 1 kg

• Large Onions,sliced - 3 large

• Tomatoes,sliced - 2

• Ginger-garlic paste - 1tbsp

• Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

• Kashmiri chilli pdr - 1 tsp heaped

• Hot water - 1 1/2 cup

       To Roast and Grind:

• Coconut shredded - 3/4 cup

• Fennel seeds ( perumjeerakam) - 1/4 tsp

• Pepper corns/black pepper pdr - 1/2 tsp

• Coriander seeds/ coriander pdr - 2 tbsp

• Cardamom - 2 no.s

• Cloves - 3 no.s

• Cinnamon stick - a small pc

• Dry Red Chillies,stem removed - 3 to 4 no.s ( according to your spice level)

• Shallots ( Cheriya ulli) - 4 to 5 no.s

• Curry leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp ( I didn't use as its not available in my pantry)

        To temper: ( taalikal)

• Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

• Shallots - 5 to 6 no.s

• Curry leaves - few

• Coriander leaves,chopped - one handful

• Green Chillies - 2 no.s

     Method:

• Heat a pan,roast the shredded coconut and add few drops of coconut oil ( to brown faster)at medium flame.When it turns brown ( never mind if it leaves few traces of whites here and there),turn the flame to low and add all the ingredients mentioned in ' To roast and grind' and saute for few mins..Be careful not to get burnt..If using coriander powder and pepper powder, make sure to add last and saute it, otherwise these will get burnt..Off the flame and set aside to cool..when it cools down, grind into paste by adding 1/4 cup of water.

• Heat a pressure cooker and add little oil . Add sliced onions with salt and saute till translucent.

• Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds.

• Add tomatoes and saute till mushy.

• Add turmeric and chilli powder and saute till raw smell goes away.

• Add cleaned mutton and saute well.

• Add hot water, mix well and close the lid. Pressure cook for 6 or 7 whistles , depending upon the mutton.

• When the pressure releases, add roasted coconut paste and mix well.

• Adjust salt according to your taste.When it comes one boil, off the flame.

• In separate pan, add coconut oil and add sliced shallots and saute till light brown.

• Add chopped coriander,curry leaves and green chillies and saute for few seconds.

• Off the flame and pour these into the mutton curry.

• Close the lid of pressure cooker,so the flavour will infuse.

• Serve warm with the combination of your choice like pathal, ghee rice, plain rice,chappati, poori. kerala porotta etc..