Mutton Majboos

Today, I am sharing Arabic recipe, Mutton Majboos..It can be also called Mutton pilaf or Pulao..Its method is same as I shared earlier in Chicken Majboos ... Only difference, mutton is added in place of chicken..Its very tasty dish and simple to make..Lets go to the recipe :)

   Ingredients:

     For Gravy:

• Mutton,cut into medium pieces (Bone in) - 500 gm

• Basmati rice - 3 cups

• Kabsa Masala ( Arabic masala) / Homemade kabsa masala - 2 tbsp ( recipe given below)

• Onions,sliced - 2 large or 3 medium sized.

• Large green Chilies,slit halves - 2 no.s 

• Tomato puree - of  1 1/2 large tomato ( make a puree of it without adding water)

• Garlic - 6 cloves + 2 cloves chopped 

• Ginger - a small pc

• Knor beef seasoning / 1 maggie beef cube - optional

• Coriander leaves - 1/2 handful chopped

• Carrot,diced large - 1/2

• Potato, diced large - 1 small

• Toasted pin nuts/cashews/Almonds - to decorate.

• Loomi( dry whole lime) - 1 ( can substitute it with juice of 1 lime).

• Saffron - a pinch mixed with 2 tbsp of milk

• Olive oil / butter - 1 1/2 tbsp

     For Homemade Kabsa Masala:

• Peppercorns / pepper powder - 1 tsp

• Coriander seeds/ coriander powder - 2 tbsp

• Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

• Dry red chilies - 2 to 3 no.s ( can use chilli flakes or paprika powder instead)

• Cardamom - 2 no.s

• Cloves - 3 no.s

• Bayleaf - 1

• Nutmug powder ( jaatika) - a pinch ( if having)

• Cinnamon - 1" stick

     Method:

• Soak basmati rice in a water for about 30 mins. Drain and keep aside.

• Soak loomi ( dried lime) in a hot water for 10 mins.

• Grind all the ingredients mentioned in 'Kabsa masala' along with 6 cloves of garlic and a piece of ginger and make into paste. If using readymade kabsa masala,ignore grinding part and combine it with ginger garlic paste.

• Marinate mutton with half of kabsa masala and salt and refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hr.

• In a pressure cooker, heat olive oil/butter in a pan, add sliced onion with salt and saute till light brown.

• Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and green chilies and saute for a sec.

• Add tomato puree and saute for few mins.

• Add half of kabsa masala and saute till raw smell goes away.

• Add marinated mutton and  mix well.

• Add knor beef seasoning or  powdered beef maggie cube and saute well ( optional ).

• Add 6 cups of water ( 1 cup of rice = 2 cups of water) and salt and mix well.

• Make a hole in the loomi ( it is done to penetrate the juice of it) and add it to the water. You can substitute it with squeezed lime juice if you don't have it. 

• Close the lid of  pressure cooker and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles.

• Boil the vegetables separately or you can cook vegetables after cooking meat in a pressure cooker about 4 whistles, then add vegetables into it and cook for 2 whistle more...

• Off the flame. Strain the stock and take out the mutton and vegetables. 

• Grill  or shallow fry the mutton with little oil or butter for few mins in a low flame.Do not make it too dry. ..Mutton is already cooked,no need to fry for too long. It is done mainly to get grilled or crispy effect. Can grill the vegetables too ( if using). Keep mutton and vegetables aside..

• Add  cooked sliced onions and loomi back to same vessel...Measure the stock,it might be reduced to 5 cups ( as previously we had 6 cups of water)..Add 5 cups of stock + 1 cup of normal water into the vessel and boil it. 

• When bubble comes, taste and add salt and drops of oil to prevent rice from sticking..Add drained basmati rice into it ,keep it as medium flame for 3 mins and close the lid.

• Then keep it into high flame ( be careful not to get burnt at bottom)..When water evaporates, immediately reduce the flame to sim and turn the rice from bottom to top and cook for few mins.

• Open the lid and sprinkle saffron milk and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. Close and cook for about 1 min at slow flame. 

• Off the flame and serve rice on a large plate, place grilled chicken and veggies on top.

• Decorate it with tossed nuts. ( optional).

• Serve warm with raita,pickles or chutneys of your choice.

    Notes:

• Readymade Kabsa masala /Arabic masala and Loomi is available in almost all the stores in Middle east and Kerala too. If you prefer,make homemade kabsa powder as mentioned in the ingredient. You can grind it in large quantities and store it in air-tight container.

• You can make homemade loomi by sun-drying the lime and store it in airtight container. Otherwise substitute with lime juice.

• Adding vegetables is optional.

• Always use same cup for measuring rice and water.

• Its a simple dish to prepare for large gathering and parties.

• Mostly large piece of meat is added for making majboos..But I prefer to add medium sized lamb..