Goan Mutton Xacuti

Clean, wash, cut and marinate the mutton. Apply salt and ginger/garlic paste, and keep aside for an hour.

Prep your ingredients and spices before you begin to save time while cooking.

Dry roast the spices in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Do not let the spices burn or it will make the curry bitter to taste.

Roast the coconut next. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to the desiccated coconut. Once the coconut starts to brown, add the 1/2 teaspoon turmeric to it.

Roast the garlic and 2 chopped onions next. Again, brown but do not let burn. Once all the spices are roasted, grind them to a thick, smooth paste.

Pre-cook the mutton until it is almost fully cooked with a cup or two of water. Do not discard the stock once it is cooked, we will use it later.

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a pot, and saute the chopped onion in it. Once the onion turns translucent, add the ground masala paste to it. Fry on medium heat for a few minutes.

You will notice the masala paste darkening as you are frying it. Once it starts to dry and leave the sides of the pot, add a couple cups of the stock to it. Mix well and let it come to a boil.

Once the curry base comes to a boil, add the cut potatoes to it. Cook on medium heat until the potatoes are almost cooked through. Add the pre-cooked mutton to the pot next along with the tamarind stock and bring the curry back to a boil. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or till Mutton is tender.

Taste for salt and add a pinch or two of sugar to the curry before turning off the heat.

Plate and serve with steamed rice or hot tandoori roti.