Step 1: Prepare Onion Paste

Heat 150ml mustard oil in a kadai on high flame. Add 1 kg roughly chopped onions and salt to taste. Fry the onions for 3-4 minutes until they turn light brown. Add 100g sliced ginger, 100g peeled garlic, and 1 bunch coriander leaves. Continue frying for another 2-3 minutes on high flame until the raw smell of ginger and garlic disappears. Remove the mixture from the oil using a strainer and transfer it to a mixing jar. Add 1.5-2 cups of water and blend into a smooth paste after cooling.

Step 2: Sear Mutton

Add another 50ml mustard oil to the same kadai. Once the oil is hot, add 2.5 kg mutton pieces. Fry the mutton on medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes until its color changes and it starts releasing water. Do not add salt at this stage.

Step 3: Add Spices and Paste

Reduce the flame to low. Add 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 0.5 tsp coriander powder, and 0.5 tsp black pepper powder to the mutton. Mix well. Add 4-5 green chilies (slit) for spice. Then add the freshly ground special masala (cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, green cardamom, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mace) and the prepared onion-ginger-garlic-coriander paste. Mix thoroughly. Add 150g whisked curd, ensuring the flame is very low to prevent curdling. Mix well until the curd is fully incorporated and its raw smell disappears.

Step 4: Pressure Cook the Mutton

Transfer the entire mutton mixture from the kadai to a pressure cooker. Add hot water, just enough to cover the mutton layer. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook on medium-high flame for 15-20 minutes, or until 4-5 whistles are achieved. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release naturally.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve

Once the pressure is released, open the cooker. Garnish the mutton curry with julienned ginger, slit green chilies, a sprinkle of garam masala, and fresh chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or bread.

• Fry onions on high flame to achieve a good brown color quickly.

• Do not add salt to mutton while initially frying it to allow it to brown properly.

• When adding curd, ensure the flame is very low to prevent it from splitting.

• Adjust the amount of green chilies based on your preferred spice level.

• You can add 50% pre-fried potatoes along with the mutton when transferring to the pressure cooker for a heartier curry.