The best mutton curry recipe in town

Are you a curry lover? Are you looking for an authentic Durban mutton curry recipe? 

Watch as award-winning Durban-based chef, Kevin Joseph chats with Eshana Suleman, whose dishes are well-loved on the popular ‘Grey Street Casbah Recipes' Facebook group.

Take a look at the Episode 1 of Local Flavour below then see the recipe via the link below the video. 

Traditional Mutton Curry (+- 1 hour to prepare. Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb/chicken (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 large onions (finely sliced)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 tomato (chopped into small cubes or grated)
1 sachet tomato paste
¼ cup cooking oil
3 – 4 medium sized curry (UTD) potatoes
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1 ½ teaspoons rough salt or salt to taste
1 ½ to 2 teaspoons chilli powder (or more)
2 teaspoons curry powder (add more if you prefer a stronger/pungent curry)
1 teaspoon dhania/jeera powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 green chillies (slit)
1 sprig curry leaves
¼ bunch chopped dhania (to garnish) 

METHOD:

Braise onion in oil until golden brown. Add ginger/garlic paste. Stir and then add washed and drained meat.  Add masalas (chilli powder, curry powder, dhania /jeera powder and turmeric powder).  Toss until meat is well coated. 

Add salt and allow masala’s to ‘fry’ on a low heat for at least 10 minutes, tossing at intervals until it starts to catch at the bottom of the pot. 

Add tomatoes and tomato paste and allow to cook until tomatoes are softened. Then add potatoes and a bit of water (1/2 cup or more) and allow to cook on medium to low heat until potatoes cooked and starting to ‘crack’ up in curry.

DO NOT STIR during cooking process as the potatoes will break up.  Rather lift the pot and gently shake.  Garnish with curry leaves and chopped dhania.  If too thick, add a little water and gently shake the pot. Serve with roti, rice or as a bunny chow in bread.

• Use meat on the bone, rather than boneless meat as the taste of meat on the bone far outdoes that of boneless meat.
• Use UTD (up to date or gravy soakers) potatoes.  Best for any curry.
• Eshana usually grinds her own dhania /jeera powder as she says it tastes much nicer than the ready ground store bought pack.  She roasts 2 parts dhania seeds to 1 part jeera seeds in a frying pan (separately).  Leave to cool and then grind in a coffee/masala grinder. You can grind enough for a week or a month and keep in a dry, sealed container.
• The same applies to ginger/garlic paste.  She grinds 2 parts ginger to 1 part garlic. Her recipe: 2kg’s ginger to 1kg garlic, 5 - 6 green chillies, 3 - 4 sprigs curry leaves, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder.  Grind in a food processor or liquidiser (with a little water).  Keep refrigerated in a sealed container (2 months).  Keeps up to 6 months in a freezer.
• To get a really nice, thick gravy she suggests you use a sachet of tomato paste instead of the chopped fresh tomatoes.  It is especially nice if you use a sachet of tomato paste together with 1 fresh chopped tomato.