Kuttanadan Mutton Roast/Varutharachathu

Sometimes when you see certain recipes, you get this sudden urge to try it out and taste it right? Especially when its a dish that can rekindle the tastes of the home cooked food and bring back many good memories associated with your good old days.

I made this dish out of that sudden urge :) Originally this is a chicken recipe, but I had only mutton with me at that time & since I wanted to taste it so badly, it became a mutton roast. Anyways now am happy that I made it, because one of my readers Elizabeth very recently asked for a sadya style chicken recipe. Usually for Syrian Christian weddings, if the wedding feast is a course style, chicken roast is a must. Though I dont like chicken much, I enjoy that particular chicken preparation (my mouth is watering while am writing this ;) ) very much. It usually has a very dark brown colour and most of the time coconut oil will be oozing out from the chicken pieces, who cares ;)

I got this recipe from a TV cookery show and they called it as a kuttanadan chicken roast, so to suit our situation it is converted into kuttanadan mutton roast. However, a few days back I tried the recipe with chicken and since I had Elizabeth’s request in mind, I made some modification in the original recipe, to find out whether this chicken roast will be similar to the sadya style chicken. I should say though the curry tasted real good, though I couldn’t get that particular taste, hhmmm there must be some secret ingredient. I’ve bookmarked similar chicken recipe..anyways for the time being we will be happy with this :)

Also, Veena of Curryworld passed me the following awards. I think awards always lift your spirits high, at least in my case. Veena, thanks a ton dear for passing on these awards.

I would like to pass this to the following bloggers:

Mona, Rachel, Seena, Farida, Divya, Shab, Divz, Emi (for you to start blogging again), Mini, and also for all other fellow bloggers. Hope this lifts your spirits too :)

Here is the recipe for kuttanadan mutton roast. Please refer notes & chicken preparation, if you are planning to make chicken instead of mutton.

1. Mutton – 1/2kg
2. Grated coconut – 1 cup
   Red chilli – 4-5, whole
   Coriander powder – 2 tbsp
   Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
   Black peppercorns – 1/2 tsp, optional
   Curryleaves
3. Crushed ginger & garlic – 1 tbsp each
4. Onion – 2 big, sliced finely
5. Tomato – 2, sliced finely
6. Coconut oil
7. Salt

For Garnishing

1. Thengakothu(bite size coconut pieces)- 1/4 – 1/2 cup
   Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
   Red chilli – 2
   Curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan & add grated coconut. Once the colour starts changing add red chilli, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper corns & curry leaves. Fry this till the coconut becomes golden brown colour. Let it cool. Grind the cooled coconut mixture into a smooth paste. Add 1-2 tbsp of water to this paste & keep it aside.

Heat Oil in a pan & add crushed ginger & garlic. Fry it for a few minutes. Add onion. When the onion becomes pale golden colour, add tomato. When tomato is cooked add the ground paste. Mix well. Add mutton pieces and salt. Combine well & saute for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water & cook till the mutton is done.

Garnishing: Heat oil in a pan 7 splutter mustard, add thengakothu, red chilli & curry leaves. Fry for a few minutes & pour it over the mutton curry. Serve hot with rice, chappathi, appam etc;

For Chicken preparation:

Marinate chicken (1/2 kg) pieces with 2 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder & salt. keep it for half an hour. Shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces and continue cooking in the same method of mutton roast.

Notes: Marinating & frying chicken piece is optional. The original chicken recipe as shown in the TV, doesn’t have this process. If you are marinating & frying the chicken pieces, reduce the amount of whole red chilli while frying coconut and also adjust the qty of salt accordingly.

Source: Kairali TV

• Fish Rolls
• Chicken Mappas
• Christmas / Xmas Fruit Cake/ Kerala Plum Cake
• Pepper Chicken (Kurumulaku Chicken)

MariasMenu is a popular food blog written by Maria Jose with its no nonsense simple, tasty and delicious recipes – all tried and tested by readers, family and friends alike. Read more about Maria and her venture.