Recipe by Chef Ankur Chakraborty, The Crossing Restaurant Dubai
The rendition of the Mutton Pulav we do at the crossing is a something I grew up eating at a very popular street side eatery where in the rice and lamb preparation will be done in large batches and would typically be simple fragrant spices but a little high on the heat or chilies.
This is also something done at Sunday lunches in a lot of north Indian households. The pulav is best served with some yoghurt and toasted cumin.
STEPS:
- Make the mutton first.
- Spice mix for pulav
- Cooking rice and mutton together
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS FOR MUTTON
- Baby Mutton Shoulder Bone Less Meat 600gm
- Garlic 100 Gm
- Onion Sliced 250 Gm
- Ghee/Clarified Butter 120 Ml
- Cinnamon Stick 2 Inches
- Green Cardamom 8 Pods
- Clove 4 Pieces
- Star Anise 1 Flower
- Ginger And Garlic Paste (1:2 Ratio) 80 Gm
- Green Chili (Serrano) 4 Pcs
- Mutton Or Chicken Stock 200 Ml
- Coriander Powder 20 Gm / Two Tea Spoon
- Red Chili Powder (Degi) 10 Gm / One Tea Spoon
- Garam Masala Powder 5 Gm / Half Tea Spoon
- Yoghurt 300 Gm
- Cashew Nut (Soaked And Made In Paste) 50 Gm
- Saffron 5-6 Strands
- Salt 8 Gm/To Taste
METHOD FOR PREPERATION:
- Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan. And start with frying the garlic till it is golden brown. Remove and cool. Make a fine paste.
- Marinate the mutton with yoghurt and the ginger garlic paste. Add all the dry spice powder to this mixture and rest the mutton for up to 2 hours at least.
- In the previous pan, add the whole spices and crackle. The ghee will take the flavor of the spices. Now add the sliced onions and cook till they start caramelizing or turning brown.
- Add the marinated meat with the yoghurt and stir. Add salt. Add the stock.
- Cook at a slow / medium heat under cover, while stirring occasionally. After about 90 minutes the meat should have started to reach 80% doneness.
- Add the cashew paste, saffron and green chilis.
- Cook further till the meat is tender (another 45 minutes)
Tip: this can be even done in an oven at about 180 degrees celsius.
PULAV SPICE MIX
(Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 months)
INGREDIENTS FOR PULAV SPICE MIX
- Cinnamon Stick 2 Inches
- Black Pepper Corn 5 Gm
- Green Cardamom 6 Pods
- Black Cardamom 15 Pods
- Cloves 6 Pcs
- Black Cumin /Royal Cumin 7 Gm
- Star Anise 1 Flower
- Fennel Seeds 25 Gm
- Mace 1 Blade
- Nutmeg 2 Gm
- Coriander Seeds 15 Gm
METHOD
- Dry toast the spices in a oven at 140 degree Celsius or over a medium flame on a pan.
- Let the spices cool down before grinding them to a fine powder and sieve it.
- Store is a cool dry place in air tight container for future use.
RICE AND PULAV ASSEMBLY
INGREDIENTS FOR RICE AND PULAV ASSEMBLY
- Golden Sella Par Boiled Rice 400 Gm
- Salt 4 Gm / To Taste
- Green Chili 2 No.
- Water 400 Gm
- Pulav Masala 5 Gm
- Cooked Mutton 600 Gm
METHOD:
- Soak and wash the rice.
- Heat the pressure cooker
- Add the cooked mutton, and the soaked rice and chili.
- Add salt and the measured water.
- Add the pulav masala powder
- Seal the cooker and cook for 7-8 minutes- two whistles.
About Chief Ankur Chakraborty:
With a degree in Hotel and Hospitality Management, Ankur has 16+ years experience in high-impact leadership roles in the Food & Beverages Industry, both as a Chef and as a business leader. He was GM of Tablez food company, UAE, a subsidiary of the retail conglomerate LuLu Group. He was instrumental in driving profitability through sustainable dining concepts and from 2015 grew the portfolio from 3 brands, 90 team strength to almost 35 restaurants across 8 brands with nearly 800 team strength by 2020.
On Thursday, 29th September 2022 at Ritz Carlton Bengaluru, Chef Ankur will showcase regional classics that are borrowed from generations such as Thupka; an 18-hour slow-cooked beef broth, with noodles, mushrooms and black garlic. Butter Chicken, presented in its unbiased, original avatar. Mangalorean Bun, Scallop Bean Thoran – blend of edamame beans, coconut and chilli, Mutton Pulav – a quintessential Indian homemade dish to name a few.
