Kerala Mutton Stew

Maria Jose Martin presents her Kerala mutton stew as a mild, aromatic coconut-milk gravy with potatoes and whole spices. This selection uses the bone-in mutton she recommends, with appam alongside.

Mutton, the first portions of crushed ginger and garlic, slit green chilies, potato, salt and pepper powder are pressure-cooked with water. The cooking gravy is kept for the later pan stage.

Crushed cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and whole black pepper are briefly fried in coconut oil. Following the author’s separate tip, the sliced onion is softened without browning; the second ginger, garlic and green-chili portions and curry leaves follow.

The cooked mutton and its same gravy return to the pan and simmer until the gravy reduces. Medium-thick coconut milk is added first, followed by thick coconut milk, and cooking continues until the gravy thickens.

The author lets the stew rest before serving and notes that it thickens while resting. Her selected appam is a separate accompaniment to the coconut-milk gravy.