Mutton Gola Curry and Fry – South Indian Style

Step 1: Prepare Mutton Gola Marinade

Add 500gms finely chopped mutton flesh to a large bowl. Then add 20 green chillies, 50gms ginger, 50gms garlic cloves, 100gms grated coconut, 2 tspn cumin seeds, 2 tspn fennel seeds, 1 tspn turmeric, 2 sprigs curry leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 250gms shallots to the bowl. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly by hand. Grind the mixture into a fine paste without adding any water. Transfer the ground paste back to the bowl. Add 50gms pottukadalai powder (roasted gram flour) and 1 egg to the paste. Mix well until all ingredients are fully combined. Marinate the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare Mutton Gola Curry Base

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pressure cooker. Add 250gms mutton bones to the hot oil. In a mortar, smash 10gms ginger, 10gms garlic (5-6 cloves), 50gms small onions (5-6 small), and 2 small tomatoes. Add the smashed mixture to the mutton bones in the pressure cooker. Add approximately 2 cups (500ml) of water and 1 tspn turmeric powder. Mix well and close the pressure cooker. Cook for 6 to 10 whistles until the mutton bones are tender. Once cooked, open the pressure cooker. Add 3 tablespoons of homemade Kulambu Milaga powder (curry chili powder) and 1 tsp salt to the curry base.

Step 3: Prepare Curry Paste

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a separate pan. Add 1 tspn cumin seeds and 1 tspn fennel seeds to the hot oil. Add 250gms small onions and sauté until light brown. Add 6 medium-sized chopped tomatoes and sauté until softened. Add 75gms grated coconut and mix well, sautéing for a few minutes. Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender and grind it into a fine paste.

Step 4: Combine and Cook Curry

Add the ground curry paste into the pressure cooker with the mutton bone curry base. Add required water to achieve desired curry consistency. Mix well and transfer the curry to a cooking pot. Place the pot on the stove and bring the curry to a boil. Once the curry boils well, take small portions of the marinated mutton mixture and roll them into balls (golas). Gently add the mutton golas into the boiling curry. Let the curry boil for 1/2 an hour until the mutton golas are cooked through and the curry thickens.

Step 5: Prepare Tempering (Thalippu)

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan. Add 1 tspn garam masala to the oil. Add 50gms finely chopped small onions and sauté until golden. Add 1 sprig of curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Switch off the flame and immediately add this tempering (Thalippu) to the mutton gola curry. Mix well to combine the tempering with the curry.

Step 6: Prepare Mutton Gola Fry

Heat oil for deep frying in a separate pan. Take small portions of the remaining marinated mutton mixture and roll them into balls (golas). Carefully drop the mutton golas into the hot oil. Deep fry until golden brown and cooked through.

• Do not add water while grinding the mutton mixture for the golas to ensure they hold their shape.

• Marinate the mutton gola mixture for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

• Adjust the spice level of green chillies and Kulambu Milaga powder according to your preference.

• Serve the mutton golas as a curry with rice or roti, or deep-fry them for a crispy snack/appetizer.

• For a milder flavor, reduce the number of green chillies.