Mutton Sukka Restaurant Style | South Indian Spicy Stir Fried Meat
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6 Servings
 
Ingredients
Dry spice mix:
  • Coriander seeds – 4 tsp
  • Black peppercorn – 2 tsp or as per taste
  • Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
  • Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
  • Dry red chillies – 2
  • Cloves – 6 to8
  • Cinnamon – 2-inch stick
  • Green cardamom – 4 to 6
For Marinade:
  • Mutton (goat or lamb) curry cut – 1 kg, small to medium pieces
  • Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt – 1 tsp
  • Dry spice mix – ½ of the prepared amount
Other Ingredients:
  • Onion – 500 gms (about 5 large), thinly sliced
  • Curry leaves – ¼ cup, tightly packed
  • Green chillies – 4, slit through the center
  • Ginger paste – 2 tbsp
  • Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
  • Freshly chopped coriander leaves – ¼ cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee – ½ cup, (you may chose to replace with oil but ghee is preferable)
Instructions
  1. Dry roast (without adding any oil) all the whole spices listed under dry spice mix in a small frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat until they become fragrant. Keep stirring them to prevent them from burning.
  2. Transfer the roasted spices to a dry grinder and grind them to make a fine powder. Your powdered spice mix is ready.
  3. Take the mutton pieces in a large bowl and add turmeric powder, salt and half of the prepared dry spice mix. Massage the powdered spices evenly on all the mutton pieces. Take your time to ensure each piece is nicely coated with the masala. Leave the mutton to marinate for at least 2 hours.
  4. Now heat a kadai or a heavy bottomed pot and add ¼ cup of ghee (preferable) or oil. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated mutton pieces to it.
  5. Sauté the mutton in ghee (or oil) on medium high flame by stirring them frequently for about 25 to 30 minutes or until there is no excess water left in the pan. There should be a nice brown color developed on the mutton pieces.
  6. After about 30 minutes, cover the pot and let the mutton cook in its own steam for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the mutton pieces are tender and cooked through. Once the mutton is nicely sautéed, take them out in a large bowl and set aside until needed.
  7. Heat the remaining oil or ghee in the same pot and add the sliced onion. Sauté the onion on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes; then add the slit green chillies and curry leaves.
  8. Continue to fry on medium heat for another 5-6 mins until the onions turn translucent and lightly browned around the edges. Now add the ginger & garlic paste and sauté them for 2 mins.
  9. Once the onion turns golden brown, add the sautéed mutton along with all the accumulated juice at the bottom of the bowl. Mix everything really well.
  10. Now add the remaining spice mix prepared earlier and give a mix. Sauté on high heat for around 6-7 mins. If the spices start to stick to the bottom of the pan, then add a few splashes of water to deglaze the pan.
  11. Continue cooking until mutton pieces are completely cooked through and turn deep brown in color. Also, all the liquid should be absorbed by now. Check and adjust seasoning if needed at this stage.
  12. Finally add the freshly chopped coriander leaves and fry on high heat for 1-2 mins till oil separates.
  13. Your mutton sukka is ready to serve! Enjoy it with roti or paratha or just on its own!
Notes
* This mutton sukka recipe of mine was first published in my Indian food blog www.everydayindianrecipes.com a few years back. But due to technical issues, we had to close down that blog and hence I am republishing it here (with additional tips) as it was well-loved by my readers!
Recipe by Flavor Quotient at https://www.flavorquotient.com/2023/05/mutton-sukka-restaurant-style/