Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Cooking Time : 45 – 50 minutes
Serving : 6 – 8 members
Description
Kaaei charu , an authentic dish very own to the ravuthar ( Tamil Muslim ) community of Coimbatore / Palghat region . A very rustic tangy one pot curry made with mutton and veggies all together in one dish . The veggies used in this curry are fresh local produce of Coimbatore / Palghat region . Every Muslim house hold has their own version of this dish with slight changes . This recipe is my grand mothers ( dads mom – balkees perima ) . She always used to make it in fire wood stove with her six daughters and four daughter – in – laws helping her around . After all food is glue that binds our family . Quality time for the aadhi clang ( our family name ) women means cooking together . While slicing the onions , grinding masalas and washing the meat … You can hear stories being gossiped and swapped about near and far relatives . These sort of every day preparations really interest me a lot . From my maternal grand mother sabiya perima in Palghat , I learnt a lot of these every day recipes and in Coimbatore where my fathers mother lived , I gorged on to what ever she made . Once i was married of to tirunelveli … kaaei charu became an forgotten dish as at hubbys place this dish does not exist . After decades I got to place a warm mouth full of thenga choru and Kaaei charu in my mouth . i tasted the warmth of balkees perima , felt my heart pound and my eyes welled up with memories soaking in the wealth of emotion coursing through me as she is no more . Dads mom never ever shared her recipes . This particular recipe some how mom learnt it from her mother – in – law and I learnt it from my mom . I am happy that this authentic home style family heirloom recipe has been recorded for three generations and would make sure I pass it on to my daughter and daughter – in – law Insha Allah …..
Ingredients
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Mutton | 1 kg , ( with bones and fat on the meat pieces ) |
| Tomato | 1 big chopped |
| Garlic | 4 cloves |
| Small onion | 6 to 8 |
| Raw bananas | 2 peeled and cut into 4 pieces |
| White pumpkin | 1/4 slice of one big pumpkin , cut into cubes |
| Drum stick | 1 big , cut into finger size |
| Mango | 1 cut with the skins . cut cheeks and leave the seed as it is |
| Brinjal | 5 each cut into 4 pieces |
| Coriander powder | 5 tablespoons |
| Rad Chilli powder | 3 tablespoons |
| Turmeric powder | a pinch |
| Tamarind | lime size soaked in one cup water and drained |
| Salt | to taste |
| Coconut oil | 5 tablespoons |
| Fenugreek seeds | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Mustard seeds | 1 teaspoon |
| Cumin seeds | 1 teaspoon |
| Curry leaves | 1 strand |
Method
- Grind coriander powder , red chilli powder and turmeric powder to a very smooth paste and set aside . Heat a heavy bottomed vessel with coconut oil .
- Add fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Once they crackle top with cumin seeds , curry leaves the whole strand with the stem ( that’s how my grand mother used to use ) , onion and garlic .
- Once the garlic is light brown add the ground masala paste .Sauté for a few minutes . Add the cleaned mutton and chopped tomato . Sauté until the colour of the mutton changes .
- Pour enough water to cover the meat and cook until the meat is 3/4 cooked . Now add the chopped white pumpkin , raw bananas and mango pieces along with tamarind water .
- Mix well and cook on medium heat until these vegetables are cooked to 3/4 . Add brinjal and drum sticks .Cook future until all the vegetables and the mutton is cooked .
- The consistency of the gravy must be semi thick . Simmer and let the oil separate .Remove from heat and serve hot with white boiled rice or thanga choru ( rice cooked in coconut milk ) .
Note
- Make sure all the veggies in the curry are cooked and in its shape and does not get soggy and mix with the curry .
- You can pressure cook the mutton following the same recipe for two whistles and then add the veggies and cook without the whistle .
- This way you save a lot of time but taste does differ .This is a very tangy dish . If you don’t have a liking towards tangy things , this curry is not for you .
