Here is a simple but hearty meal of mutton and spring onion curry with rice rotis, rounded off by a light dessert of fruit jelly — a classic summer favourite. Juicy, succulent mutton chunks in a delicately flavoured gravy and a light side dish made with fresh spring onions can be devoured with rice rotis that make a lighter and refreshing change from the usual. Lots of seasonal fresh fruits can be eaten with cool and colourful fruit jelly and perhaps with some ice cream on the side.

SPRING ONION CURRY

INGREDIENTS

2 bunches of spring onions, chopped finely
4 green chillies, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
4 tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste
1/4 cup oil
1 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped

METHOD

Wash the chopped spring onion thoroughly, as all greens should be, and put in a colander.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, when they crackle, add green onions, green chillies, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Let it cook in its own water. When softened, add tomatoes and mix well. Cover and lower the heat. It will cook in its own water. When done sprinkle fresh coriander. Serve hot, with boiled rice or rice flour rotis. 

A cornucopia of meat, veggies and fruits for balmy evenings

RICE FLOUR ROTIS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups rice flour.
1/4 cup desiccated coconut 
2 tablespoon oil 
1 tablespoon flour
Salt to taste

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and knead with a little warm water. The mixture won’t roll out very easily, so take small portions and on a plastic flatten them with hand into the shape of roti. 

Warm up the tawa or griddle and cook the roti on both sides using a little oil.

This roti is an excellent accompaniment to the spring onion curry.

FRUIT JELLY

INGREDIENTS

1 tin of condensed milk
1 cup yoghurt 
2 cups mixed fruit cut in small pieces (you can use apple, strawberry, banana, grapes and whatever else you prefer)
1 packet of jelly powder (strawberry flavour)

METHOD

In a bowl whisk the yoghurt lightly, add the condensed milk. Whisk till well blended. Put this in a transparent bowl and, add the cut or diced fruits.

Meanwhile, make jelly as per instructions on the packet. Before it totally sets, pour over the contents in the bowl. Refrigerator till it sets. Decorate with cut fruit and serve.

DUM MUTTON

INGREDIENTS

2 kg mutton chunks from leg and neck
6 green chillies, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped
1-inch piece ginger, chopped
1-inch stick of cinnamon
1 star anise (badiyan ka phool )
2 cloves black cardamom
10 pepper corns
4 green cloves 
1/4 cup yoghurt
1 teaspoon tikka masala powder 
2 tablespoons lemon juice 
Salt to taste
1/2 cup olive oil 

METHOD

Make two separate potlis (pouches with muslin cloth) — one of green chillies, onion, ginger and garlic, and the second of cinnamon, star anise, both the cloves and pepper corns.

Heat oil in an earthen pot, fry the meat chunks and add the pouches. Add half a litre hot water, cover the pot and let cook for nearly two hours or till the meat is tender.

Half way through, take half a cup of gravy from the pot, beat in the yoghurt and salt, when well mixed add back to the pot.

When the meat is tender and a little gravy is left over throw away the spice pouches. Add tikka masala and fry the meat. Before serving add lemon juice. The finished dish should have a thick sauce. Serve hot with nan.

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 18th, 2018