Kerala Mutton Stew, Mutton Ishtu, How To Make Mutton Stew

Mutton Stew – The perfect partner for idiyappam and appam . Its called as Ishtu, the local word for stew. This is a very mild gravy / curry flavored with a lot of ginger and coconut milk. Here is how to do simple Mutton stew. Here is the veg version of the recipe. Here is the recipe for chicken stew

I got this recipe from my friend Linish’s mom. Linish is one of the greatest foodie in my circle and he has been telling me for sometime as to how he relishes his mom’s mutton stew every time he visits home. In fact he posted the stew pics prepared by his mom a couple of times in social media and I just got hooked. For some reason or the other, the mutton stew project was getting delayed and finally got hold of it last week. When I spoke with Mohini auntie (Linish’s mom) on phone, she was so happy to share the recipe. We spoke for quite some time. She could not stop talking about her son the whole time. She told as to how all her physical pains and aches due to age just vanishes away when her son visits her. Food is love when shared with dear ones. This mutton stew is the real deal.

Here is the video of Mutton Stew the recipe with step by step instructions

Mutton Stew: Prep Work: Cook the mutton with 1.5 cups water along with pepper and salt in a pressure cooker for 8-10 whistles and wait for the pressure to release naturally. Mutton should be cooked well after this time. If the mutton is still tough, then cook for another 3 whistles. I like to cut the mutton into small pieces for this recipe. Boneless mutton also works very well for this recipe. Set aside

Cook the potatoes and tomatoes with half a cup water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Set aside.

We will also need to make coconut milk for this recipe. We will be using the first pressed and second pressed milk for this recipe. Here is detailed recipe of how to make coconut milk at home. I have used 3/4 cup coconut for making the coconut milk.

Making the Stew Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Very little of everything. The flavors of the spices are very mild in this recipe. Add in the ginger and curry leaves.

Add in the sliced onion. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the green chillies, black pepper and the salt. The flavor of black pepper is predominant in this recipe. Saute for a few seconds. If you want a spicy stew, add few more green chillies. Note: Keep in mind that we boiled the mutton along with the salt. So add little salt at this stage and can adjust the seasoning later on.

Add in the cooked potato tomato mixture. Simmer for a minute. Note: Some people like their potatoes to be mashed while some people like to have potatoes visible in pieces. Its totally up to you. We at home like to have the potatoes in pieces. Some of the cooked potatoes will dissolve and add to the thickness of the gravy. If you like to mash the potatoes, mash half of the potatoes and leave the rest as is.

Add in the second pressed coconut milk.

Add in the cooked mutton along with the mutton water used for cooking. The water has a lot of flavour. Simmer for a minute.

Make a slurry with cornflour and water and add it to the pan. Cornflour slurry will make the stew thick. If you do not have corn flour at home, you can use maida or rice flour. I like to use corn flour as it makes the stew very silky. The stew will become thick immediately after adding the slurry. Finally add in the first pressed coconut milk. After adding the first pressed milk, do not simmer for long. Simmer for just a minute. Final Tempering: Heat ghee in a pan and add in the sliced small onions. Saute the small onions until golden. Add in the black pepper powder to the pan. Immediately add the tempering to the stew.

Mutton stew is ready. Serve Mutton Stew, Mutton Ishtu with idiyappam or appam .

Prepwork 1 – Cook the mutton

• 250 grams mutton (cut into small pieces)
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

Prepwork 2 – cook potatoes and tomatoes

• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 country tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup water

Prepwork 3 –For homemade coconut milk

• 3/4 cup coconut
• 1.5 cups water + 1 cup water

For making the stew

• 3 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 small piece cinnamon
• 1 cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1 inch piece ginger, minced
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 onion, sliced ( 1/3 cup )
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Corn starch slurry

• 2 teaspoon corn flour (corn starch)
• 1/4 cup water

Final Tempering

• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 5 small onions (Indian Shallots), sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

Prep Work

1. Cook the mutton with 1.5 cups water along with pepper and salt in a pressure cooker for 8-10 whistles and wait for the pressure to release naturally. Set aside.
2. Cook the potatoes and tomatoes with half a cup water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Set aside.
3. Prepare coconut milk – first pressed coconut milk and second pressed coconut milk. Set aside.
4. Here is the recipe for preparing coconut milk

Making the stew

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Add in the ginger, curry leaves and sliced onion. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft.
2. Add in the green chillies, black pepper and the salt. Saute for a few seconds.
3. Add in the cooked potato tomato mixture. Simmer for a minute.
4. Add in the second pressed coconut milk.
5. Add in the cooked mutton along with the mutton water used for cooking.
6. Make a slurry with cornflour and water and add it to the pan.
7. Finally add in the first pressed coconut milk. Simmer for just a minute.

Final Tempering

1. Heat ghee in a pan and add in the sliced small onions. Saute the small onions until golden. Add in the black pepper powder to the pan. Immediately add the tempering to the stew.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Kerala

Prepwork 1 – Cook the mutton

• 250 grams mutton (cut into small pieces)
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

Prepwork 2 – cook potatoes and tomatoes

• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 country tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup water

Prepwork 3 –For homemade coconut milk

• 3/4 cup coconut
• 1.5 cups water + 1 cup water

For making the stew

• 3 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 small piece cinnamon
• 1 cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1 inch piece ginger, minced
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 onion, sliced ( 1/3 cup )
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Corn starch slurry

• 2 teaspoon corn flour (corn starch)
• 1/4 cup water

Final Tempering

• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 5 small onions (Indian Shallots), sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

Prep Work

1. Cook the mutton with 1.5 cups water along with pepper and salt in a pressure cooker for 8-10 whistles and wait for the pressure to release naturally. Set aside.
2. Cook the potatoes and tomatoes with half a cup water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Set aside.
3. Prepare coconut milk – first pressed coconut milk and second pressed coconut milk. Set aside.
4. Here is the recipe for preparing coconut milk

Making the stew

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Add in the ginger, curry leaves and sliced onion. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft.
2. Add in the green chillies, black pepper and the salt. Saute for a few seconds.
3. Add in the cooked potato tomato mixture. Simmer for a minute.
4. Add in the second pressed coconut milk.
5. Add in the cooked mutton along with the mutton water used for cooking.
6. Make a slurry with cornflour and water and add it to the pan.
7. Finally add in the first pressed coconut milk. Simmer for just a minute.

Final Tempering

1. Heat ghee in a pan and add in the sliced small onions. Saute the small onions until golden. Add in the black pepper powder to the pan. Immediately add the tempering to the stew.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Kerala

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/mutton-stew-mutton-ishtu-how-to-make-mutton-stew/

Recipe for chettinad style Cauliflower Milagu Pirattal, Cauliflower Pepper Fry Recipe made with homemade masala. Recipe with step by step pictures.

This is a simple everyday recipe that goes well with rice or rotis or can be even had just as is. The flavour of pepper is what makes this dish come alive.

For the masala We will first make a home made masala powder. Get all the spices ready. The masala powder has poppy seeds (khus khus). If khus khus is not available in a place where you live, you can substitute with a little dry coconut or even skip it.

Dry roast all the masala ingredients on a low flame for 3-4 minutes. The spices will turn very aromatic and will change color to slightly golden / brown. Set aside to cool.

Once the masalas are cool, grind to a fine powder in a heavy duty mixie. Set aside.

In the mean time, cut the cauliflower into florets. If you live in India, the cauliflower we get in the market almost always has a few green worms. So wash them well in water and let it soak in a bowl filled with water mixed with a tablespoon of turmeric and couple of tablespoon of salt. Soak the cauliflower for 15 minutes. Strain the cauliflower and set aside. This will remove the worms.

Crush the garlic in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the cumin seeds, curry leaves and the crushed garlic. Fry for a few seconds. Add in the chopped onions and salt.

Saute the onions for about 3-4 minutes till soft. Add in the tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are cooked and soft, about 3 minutes.

Once the tomatoes are cooked, add in the masala powder. Mix well to combine.

Add in the cauliflower and half a cup of water. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. The cauliflower should be firm but cooked after 10 minutes.

Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

For the Masala

• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoon khus khus (white poppy seeds)
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• 1/2 of a star anise

For the perattal

• 500 grams cauliflower
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (Indian gingely oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped

1. Dry roast all the masala ingredients on a low flame for 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.Once the masalas are cool, grind to a fine powder in a heavy duty mixie. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the cumin seeds, curry leaves and the crushed garlic. Fry for a few seconds. Add in the chopped onions and salt.
3. Saute the onions for about 3-4 minutes till soft. Add in the tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are cooked and soft, about 3 minutes.
4. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add in the masala powder. Mix well to combine.
5. Add in the cauliflower and half a cup of water. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. The cauliflower should be firm but cooked after 10 minutes.
6. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu