RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY

 There is a certain glamour about Anglo-Indian cuisine with its quaint names like Railway Lamb Curry, Dak Bungalow Curry, Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken, etc. The names of these dishes, especially the ‘Railway Lamb Curry conjures up scenes of leisurely travel by train in the early 1900s  -  of tables covered with snow white table cloths laid with gleaming china and cutlery, of turbaned waiters and bearers serving this tasty slightly tangy Curry dish with Rolls and Crusty White Bread to the Aristocratic British and Indian Travelers in Railway Dining and Refreshment Rooms and in First Class Cabin Cars on long distance trains.

 Serves 3     Preparation Time 45 minutes to one hour

Ingredients

½ kg mutton or lamb cut into medium size pieces     

6 peppercorns

2 big onions sliced                

2 pieces cinnamon

2 cloves

2 cardamoms

8 to 10 curry leaves

4 red chilies broken into bits

1 teaspoon chillie powder

1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste          

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons vinegar or ½ cup of tamarind juice

Mix the lamb or mutton  with the ginger garlic paste, salt and the chillie powder.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions, curry leaves, red chillies and spices till golden brown.  

Add the meat and mix well.  Fry for a few minutes. Add the vinegar or Tamarind juice and sufficient water and cook on medium heat till the meat is done.

Simmer on low heat till the gravy is sufficiently thick and dark brown.

Note: You could substitute any meat for lamb / mutton if desired.