Spicy and tangy, Gongura Mamsam is a traditional but wonderful dish from Andhra Pradesh.
Bethica Das cooks the mutton with gongura or sorrel leaves, also known as chukka or ambada bhaji, that a signature taste and enhances the flavour of the meat.
"It is a great party dish, which can be prepared for special occasions," say the home chef from Sharjah.
"You can relish this yummy and finger-licking delicacy with hot steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, biryani, naans, tandoori rotis, rumali rotis or just plain chappatis."
Gongura Mamsam
Serves: 3-4
- 500 gm mutton with bones
- 2 bunches gongura or sorrel leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp oil to marinate
- 2 sprigs curry pattas or curry leaves
- Salt to taste, around 1 tsp
- 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp red chilly powder
- 1 tbsp dhania or coriander powder
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves
- Water
Method
- Marinate the mutton with the ginger-garlic paste, 1 sprig of the curry leaves, 2 tbsp oil and all the dry masala powders overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and saute the chopped onions in it over medium heat.
Add the remaining sprig curry leaves.
Stir till the onions turn light brown.
Add the marinated mutton and ¼ cup water.
Cook, covered over low heat till the water evaporates.
Keep stirring at intervals.
Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 20 minutes over low heat after the first whistle.
When done, open the cooker, add the chopped gongura leaves and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes till the leaves wilt and the oil separates.
Add the salt and stir.
Take off heat and garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with steamed rice or a pulao or your choice of Indian breads.
Bethica Das is a Sharjah-based food blogger.
Please do have a look her recipes here.