Gorakhpur style Mutton Curry: That's what you need to curb the homesickness

If you follow me on Twitter you might have seen me tweeting about my cravings for this Gorakhpuriya style mutton curry. Frankly, it's no rocket science and a very basic and rustic recipe. All you need is good mutton and good idea of proportions. It's a very spicy preparation and it's the only spicy dish that I crave for. Usually my dad cooks it and he's gentler while using the chillies. However, this time around I had my brother (Uncle's son) visiting from US who is a bigger carnivore than I am. He cooked the mutton which burnt a whole in my tongue but was amazing at the same time. The craving has settled for the time being.

Before you move to the recipe there's a very important instruction that I need to share; please make this in mustard oil only or else you won't get the same flavour.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 90 mins
Serves: 3 very hungry, hardcore non-vegetarians or 5 people with decent appetites

Ingredients:
Mutton - 1 Kg (make sure it's the cut from chest and above)
Onions - 1 Kg (sliced)
Garlic - 1 whole pod (peeled)
Ginger - 50 gms (finely chopped)
Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
Black cardamom - 4
Green cardamom - 8
Black pepper pods - 12
Cloves - 8-10
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mace - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 5
Dry red chillies - 10-15 (depending how spicy you want it to be)
Green chillies - 5 (sliced in halves)
Yogurt - 1 cup
Mustard oil - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the mutton properly and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker and not pan cause it's easier this way if you want to pressure cook the mutton later.
• Throw in cumin seeds and add onions once they start to splutter. Fry onions till they turn pink. 
• Add garlic, chopped ginger and the rest of the whole spices. Fry for another 5 minutes.
• Add mutton and mix with the masala and let it cook in the water released by the onions.
• Let the mutton cook for an hour. Add water if needed.
• After an hour add yogurt, green chillies and salt and mix well. Add more water if you need thin curry.
• Cook for another 30 mins.
• Check if the mutton is cooked. If not pressure cook it. 2 whistles will be enough.
• Let the cooker cool down before you take the lid off. Serve it with rice, roti or litti and trust me, don't bother garnishing or plating it. It's best eaten desi style; straight from the cooker.

There's another version of this recipe where all the ingredients are thrown in together in a heavy bottomed vessel and cooked together for 11/2 hours. Yogurt is added after an hour. It tastes better if you cook it in an earthen pot or handi.