| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Mutton | 500 gms |
| Med. Onions | 4 nos. |
| Tomatoes Med. sized | 150 gms |
| GG chopped & GG Paste | 2tbsp each |
| Gr. Chilly slit | 4 nos. |
| Cinnamon | 2 sticks |
| Cardamom | 4 nos |
| Cloves | 4 gms |
| Star anise | 2nos |
| Jathi Pathri | 1 no. |
| Fennel seeds | 2gms |
| Bay leaf | 1 no. |
| Nutmeg grated | A pinch |
| Rattan jog | 1 bark |
| Salt & Pepper | To taste |
| Oil | 4 tbsp. |
| Coriander Leaves | 1 bunch |
| Turmeric powder | 1 tsp |
| Coriander powder | 2 tbsp |
| Chilly powder | 2 tbsp |
| Kashmir chilly powder | 2 tbsp |
| Jeera powder | 1 tsp |
| Fennel powder | 1 tsp |
| Garam Masala Powder | 1 tsp |
Method
- Cut mutton Leg into cubes or dices, wash well and keep in a strainer. Allow the water to drain off completely.
- Blanch tomatoes in Boiling water, allow to boil for 5mts, remove from fire, allow to cool, remove skin and blend well , take a puree and keep aside.
- Dry roast half the quantity of spices till we get the aroma of spices. Powder the same and keep in air tight containers for future use.
- Sauté ratanjog bark in l oil till the oil absorbs the colour of rattan jog, almost blood red. Remove jog from oil.
- Sauté the balance whole spices with the oil used for frying rattan jog in copper degchi. Add GG paste, onions sliced, slit green chilly, till golden brown.
- Continue sautéing till the onions turn golden reddish brown in colour Add mutton and sauté till the meat attains basic roast colour.
- Add all condiments and continue sautéing on a low fire till the raw Masala smell ceases. Add tomato puree and sauté again till the oil precipitates to the top. and sides of the degchi.
- Add almost 1.5 ltrs of boiling water to mutton, mix well, cover the degchi and cook for 45 mts or till the meat is cooked and also the water reduces to the required gravy consistency.
- Close the fire , add ½ tsp garam Masala powder and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves with little Rogan on top.
- Serve this dish with boiled Basmati or any Flat Indian bread with salad to your taste
Chef Nandakumar Menon or ‘Chef Nandu as he is known evolved into the Super Chef series. He was at the CASINO HOTEL in Kochi and later at the remarkable COCONUT LAGOON in Kumarakom. Both iconic Hotels and restaurants of repute for the quality and consistency of food offered at their restaurants. Coconut Lagoon where Chef Nandu headed the kitchen moulded him to cater to international clientele from all over the world coming in to experience the magic of the backwaters of Kerala and Kerala itself as a unique destination.
From his early Catering Technology days at Adayar, Chennai and training at the famed TAJ MAHAL INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, Mumbai, Chef Nandu was back again at the Welcome Group’s ADAYAR PARK INN, Chennai.
Later he headed the setting up of the various F&B outlets of the ABAD PLAZA group, Kochi as its Corporate Chef.
And then with the Quilon Beach hotels, Chef Nandu created a redefined art of culinary expertise. His clientele were Doctors, Cashew businessmen and of course celebrities from the tinsel world, the cloyed connoisseurs had a different feel with his nouvelle cuisine.
He still loves to cook and share his valuable experience of the world of food with The Daily Brunch and its readers in our series on SUPER CHEFS.
Cheers!
