Kerala mutton stew. This dish has layers of flavors, but the real highlight is coconut milk adding creaminess and richness to the stew. With the addition of very mild spices, the heat comes from green chilies and ground black pepper, and it also features a nut and raisin tempering giving this celebratory dish its signature finish.
Why I Love This Stew
You might think of stew as a comforting dish for cold winter nights, but this lightly spiced version is also part of a delicious Kerala style celebration meal. Most of the ingredients used in this recipe are easy to find at your local store, and the real flavor comes from the unique combination of coconut milk with ginger, green chilies, garlic, curry leaves and mutton or lamb.
The coconut based curry gets its heat from green chilies and aroma from whole spices. The beautiful creamy sauce is very mild and avoids heavy masala. The curry is also loaded with veggies like potatoes and carrot making it more delicious and nutritious. The final tempering stage is totally optional, but cashews and raisins sautéed in ghee adds another level of flavor.
Key Ingredients In Mutton Stew
- Mutton or lamb - Mutton is used in traditional version, but substitute with lamb if you like.
- Coconut milk - Gives its signature creamy, slightly sweet flavor.
- Whole spices - Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, bay leaf, mace.
- Green chilies - For heat.
- Vegetables - Potatoes and carrots. Green peas are also a great option.
- Herbs - Curry leaves for the authentic taste.
How To Make Mutton Stew
Cook mutton - You will need to cook the mutton separately with a little ground pepper powder, garlic, ginger, green chili and salt. To shorten the cooking time, you can do this in an instant pot, otherwise a large pot with plenty of water placed over medium-high heat is perfect.
Cook the stew - Start with sautéing the whole spices, onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Once the onions get a light brown hue, add in veggies and let them cook until tender. You can add in a little water if needed. Next, the cooked mutton goes in the pan alongside coconut milk. When the sauce thickens slightly, you can add in garam masala, ground black pepper and a generous drizzle of coconut cream. Let this heat through.
Tempering - Although this is optional, sauté some cashews and raisins in a little ghee to bring in crunch as well as flavor to the dish.
Ingredients
To cook mutton:
- ▢ 1 kg mutton cut into 2cm pieces
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ▢ 1 tablespoon crushed green chili
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ Water
- ▢ Salt to taste
To make stew:
- ▢ 2 tablespoons oil
- ▢ 3 cardamom pods
- ▢ 3 cm cinnamon stick
- ▢ 4 cloves
- ▢ 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- ▢ 1 bay leaf
- ▢ 1 mace
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- ▢ 1 green chili, sliced
- ▢ 2 large onions, sliced
- ▢ 1 sprig curry leaves
- ▢ 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- ▢ 1 carrot cut into cubes
- ▢ 1 cup coconut milk
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ▢ 1 cup coconut cream
- ▢ Salt to taste
Tempering:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ghee
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped cashew nuts
- ▢ 2 tablespoons raisins
Garnish:
- ▢ Curry leaves
Instructions
Cook mutton:
- Place mutton, garlic, ginger, green chili and ground black pepper in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Cover with water. Season with salt.
- Cook, covered, for about 45 minutes or until mutton is tender.
Make stew:
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, bay leaf and mace. Saute, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
- Add onions and curry leaves. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes or until the onions start to brown.
- Add potatoes and carrot. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until tender.
- Add cooked meat with liquid. Add coconut milk. Season with salt.
- Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes or until the mixture slightly thickens.
- Add ground black pepper and garam masala.
- Add coconut cream. Stir to combine. Heat through.
Tempering:
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
- Add cashew nuts and raisins. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes or until the raisins are plump.
- Add tempering to the curry. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with curry leaves.
Video
Notes
- How to serve - This traditional stew is usually served with appam , idiyappam or white bread as part of a celebration meal for Christmas, Easter and special occasions.
- Mutton - This can substituted with lamb if you like.
- Coconut milk - You can use fresh coconut milk if you like. First, add second extract of the coconut milk and then add the first extract of coconut milk (coconut cream).
Nutrition
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Ingredients
To cook mutton:
- ▢ 1 kg mutton cut into 2cm pieces
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ▢ 1 tablespoon crushed green chili
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ Water
- ▢ Salt to taste
To make stew:
- ▢ 2 tablespoons oil
- ▢ 3 cardamom pods
- ▢ 3 cm cinnamon stick
- ▢ 4 cloves
- ▢ 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- ▢ 1 bay leaf
- ▢ 1 mace
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- ▢ 1 green chili, sliced
- ▢ 2 large onions, sliced
- ▢ 1 sprig curry leaves
- ▢ 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- ▢ 1 carrot cut into cubes
- ▢ 1 cup coconut milk
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ▢ 1 cup coconut cream
- ▢ Salt to taste
Tempering:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ghee
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped cashew nuts
- ▢ 2 tablespoons raisins
Garnish:
- ▢ Curry leaves
Instructions
Cook mutton:
- Place mutton, garlic, ginger, green chili and ground black pepper in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Cover with water. Season with salt.
- Cook, covered, for about 45 minutes or until mutton is tender.
Make stew:
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, bay leaf and mace. Saute, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
- Add onions and curry leaves. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes or until the onions start to brown.
- Add potatoes and carrot. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until tender.
- Add cooked meat with liquid. Add coconut milk. Season with salt.
- Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes or until the mixture slightly thickens.
- Add ground black pepper and garam masala.
- Add coconut cream. Stir to combine. Heat through.
Tempering:
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
- Add cashew nuts and raisins. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes or until the raisins are plump.
- Add tempering to the curry. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with curry leaves.
Video
Notes
- How to serve - This traditional stew is usually served with appam , idiyappam or white bread as part of a celebration meal for Christmas, Easter and special occasions.
- Mutton - This can substituted with lamb if you like.
- Coconut milk - You can use fresh coconut milk if you like. First, add second extract of the coconut milk and then add the first extract of coconut milk (coconut cream).
