Recipe for kongunadu style mutton kuzhambu (Sunday kari kuzhambu) made from scratch using homemade masala paste. Recipe with step by step pictures.
This is my aunt’s Sunday mutton kuzhambu (mutton curry). This is one recipe that is a classic at our place. My aunt, a vegetarian all her life made it for Sunday lunch as long as I can remember. My uncle loved non veg fare and this kuzhambu was a regular for lunch every Sunday. When I was young, my aunt had a maid called Lakshmi. She would religiously grind the masala for the kuzhambu in the stone mortar (அம்மிக்கல்) until the masala reaches a consistency that makes my aunt happy (a very tough one at that). Then the curry would be made and it would boil for hours in a big black cast iron kadai. The curry would be so thick and so dark in colour from the lavish use of black pepper. The fat from the mutton would form a film on the top of the curry and would be glistening. The kuzhambu was always made super spicy. During lunch, all kids would eat the rice and curry with copious amounts of ghee to settle the super spicy heat from the black pepper. I don’t make it that spicy these days. My son loves this kuzhambu so much that it is becoming a Sunday ritual at my place too! My aunt is now 83 and does not cook these days but I will always associate my Sundays with her food.
Click on the video below for the recipe of how to do Kongunadu Mutton Kuzhambu AKA Sunday Mutton Kuzhambu.
Here is how to do Sunday mutton kuzhambu.
The main thing about this dish is the masala paste. Here is what you will need to make the masala paste.
Note: The recipe uses copious amounts of cloves. Cloves and mutton are best friends. The flavour of slow cooked mutton and cloves makes the curry magical. Use 5-6 cloves in the recipe. Do not add more than that. For a very spicy curry, amp up the black pepper. Adjust the spice levels according to what your family prefers.
Take a pan and add in a teaspoon of Indian sesame oil (gingely oil). When the oil is hot, add in all the ingredients listed under masala paste except the onion and tomatoes. Saute everything on a low flame so the spices do not burn. Saute for a good 4-5 minutes until all the spices are well roasted and fragrant. Set aside on a plate to cool.
Note: This recipe uses white poppy seeds. If poppy seeds are not available in a country where you live, just omit it. The flavour will slightly differ but there is no proper substitute for poppy seeds.
In the same pan add in the remaining oil and add in the chopped onions. Saute the onions until soft. Add in the chopped tomatoes. Saute till the tomatoes are cooked down. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
Grind everything in a mixie to a smooth fine paste. Add little water (1/2 a cup of water) while grinding. Set aside.
Main Kuzhambu
We will make the mutton kuzhambu in a pressure cooker. Heat Indian sesame oil in a pressure pan / cooker and add in the curry leaves and chopped small onions (shallots). Use a lavish 3-4 sprigs of curry leaves. Add in the washed, cleaned and drained mutton pieces. Do not trim the fat in the mutton. Fat adds a lot of flavour to the curry. Add a teaspoon of castor oil to the mutton. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes until all the juices that come from the mutton has evaporated and its completely dry.
A Note on Castor Oil
My aunt uses a teaspoon of Castor Oil while making this curry and she believes that the mutton cooks to tender with the addition of castor oil. Also Castor oil will help in digestion after a heavy non-veg meal. It has cooling properties too. So go ahead and get a little castor oil. Don’t add too much though. If you don’t have castor oil, just omit.
Add in a teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix well to coat.
Add in the masala paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan.
Add 1.5 cups of water for the mutton to cook. Cover the pan and keep the flame of the stove in medium. Let it cook and whistle away for 30 minutes. Dont watch for the number of whistles. Just set a timer for 30 minutes and you are all set. After 30 minutes, remove the cooker from heat and allow the pressure from the cooker to settle naturally. The fat would just float on top of the curry. What a sight to watch after opening the cooker 🙂
Keep the pan on a low simmer again and add in the salt and a cup of thick coconut milk. The coconut milk makes the curry very rich. Canned coconut milk works just fine. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat. My aunt always added salt at the end of the curry as she says that the mutton cooks soft without the salt. I agree. I do not question some things in the kitchen when the recipes are passed on for generations. I do the same like what my aunt did. Some people say to salt the mutton in the beginning so the salt nicely seasons the mutton. Its totally up to you. Do whatever you like.
Sunday special mutton kuzhambu is ready. You can serve it with rice for lunch or with idli and dosa for breakfast.
Idli batter in mixie
Set Dosa Recipe
Whole Wheat Parotta
Maida Parotta
Kongunadu Mutton Kuzhambu Recipe
Recipe for kongunadu style mutton kuzhambu (Sunday kari kuzhambu) made from scratch using homemade masala paste. Recipe with step by step pictures.
- Total Time: 60m
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the masala paste
- 1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
- 2 Indian red Onions, roughly chopped (about a cup)
- 2 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon white poppy seeds
- 5 dried red chillies
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 6 cloves
- 1/2 inch piece cinnamon (Indian Cassia)
- 1.5 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 teaspoon black peppercorn
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 inch ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 10–12 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
For the curry
- 1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
- 3–4 sprigs curry leaves
- 10 Indian shallots (small onions), chopped
- 500 grams mutton (bone-in)
- 1 teaspoon castor oil (optional)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coconut milk
Instructions
- Take a pan and add in a teaspoon of Indian sesame oil (gingely oil). When the oil is hot, add in all the ingredients listed under masala paste except the onion and tomatoes. Saute everything on a low flame so the spices do not burn. Saute for a good 4-5 minutes until all the spices are well roasted and fragrant. Set aside on a plate to cool. In the same pan add in the remaining oil and add in the chopped onions. Saute the onions until soft. Add in the chopped tomatoes. Saute till the tomatoes are cooked down. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool. Grind everything in a mixie to a smooth fine paste. Add little water (1/2 a cup of water) while grinding. Set aside.
- Heat Indian sesame oil in a pressure pan / cooker and add in the curry leaves and chopped small onions (shallots). Use a lavish 3-4 sprigs of curry leaves. Add in the washed, cleaned and drained mutton pieces. Do not trim the fat in the mutton. Fat adds a lot of flavour to the curry. Add a teaspoon of castor oil to the mutton. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes until all the juices that come from the mutton has evaporated and its completely dry. Add in a teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix well to coat. Add in the masala paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan.
- Add 1.5 cups of water for the mutton to cook. Cover the pan and keep the flame of the stove in medium. Let it cook and whistle away for 30 minutes. Dont watch for the number of whistles. Just set a timer for 30 minutes and you are all set. After 30 minutes, remove the cooker from heat and allow the pressure from the cooker to settle naturally.
- Keep the pan on a low simmer again and add in the salt and a cup of thick coconut milk. The coconut milk makes the curry very rich. Canned coconut milk works just fine. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
- Prep Time: 15m
- Cook Time: 45m
Hi Pa,
I am planning to replace mutton with mushroom. Will it work out?
Also, I am looking for milagu attina kuzhambu in Coimbatore side( cauliflower or mushroom are the usual veges in that). Please do post that recipe if you h ave.
This recipe will work only with meat.
You can check https://www.kannammacooks.com/kongunad-cauliflower-kurma-vegan-cauliflower-curry/
Kanama akka…i would really appreciate if you could reply me at the earliest…i am to cook for 30 members, for a function…which mutton curry would you suggest..?(for white rice)
This curry will be good for white rice.
Tried this recipe and it tastes super good ❤️☺️
Thank you 🙂
You are my guru Kannamma..! I’m from Bangalore, married to a guy from Karur and settled in USA.. I’m so glad I found your recipe website, your recipes are so damn easy and perfect to follow. Every single dish turns out amazing. You are doing a big favour to all the women out there who need help in the kitchen and don’t know shit !
Love love love and lots of light to you❤️
Thank you sooo much. 🙂
I made this for the very first time. Fabulous! Even my husband and daughter enjoyed it a lot.
I love all your recipes. They are guaranteed to taste good. It’s like the restaurants and road side eatery in India that we used to eat and didn’t know how to make. I’ve finally come full circle with your recipes.
Keep them coming. It helps more people enjoy great food across the globe.
Your efforts and love for food is appreciated more than you can imagine.
Many thanks!
Thank you so much for your kind words. Means a lot to me.
Hi,
I’m a huge fan and your recipes make me look good when guests come home!!. With this recipe if I double the amount of mutton would I just double the ingredients or are there some that would stay the same?
Double everything. Thank you so much.
What is the Qty of mutton.
Given in the recipe – 500 grams mutton (bone-in)
I made this today. Just followed the recipe with exact measurements except for less pepper as I wanted less spicy version. It is one of the best curry I ever made 😊
Thanks a lot for the perfect recipe of kongu. After so many years I got to taste my native food. Will follow your other kongu recipes too
Thank you!
excellent info keep it going wish you the very best germany
Thank you!
I ve learned cooking after seeing u r recepies now i became a queen of cooking in our kitchen all regards to u sis thank u ….
Means a lot. Thanks.
Huge fan of your cooking. My ayurvedic doc has asked me not to add anything that might be sour in my food. Is it possible to make this recipe without tomatoes? Should I alter any part of the recipe because of this?
Thanks
You can just omit it.
I am from Coimbatore but moved to Bangalore 12 yrs ago. Many of your dishes take me back to childhood. My grandmother’s name was Kannammal and I regretted I couldn’t get her recipes when she was with us. But majority of your dishes gives the same taste and flavor as she used to make. And I am forever grateful to you and your recipes. My husband can’t stop praising my cooking these days 😍
Thank you so much. It means a lot to me 🙂
I have also tagged you on Instagram with my preparation too. Spreading my love for your cooking to as many people as possible 😀
Thank you so much! Glad you liked the mutton kuzhambu.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Tried it , was awesome!
Thanks so much.
Mam instead of coconut milk can I replace with coconut paste
Sure you can. If using coconut paste, let the curry simmer for 5 minutes for the coconut to cook.
Hi ,
I love your love for tamil and kongunad recipes. I am also from coimbatore and your blog makes me so happy to see traditional cbe recipes and absolutely enjoy reading your posts.
And my love for chinna vengayam (shallots) is endless (hailing from coimbatore,this is obious)and i can see the same in many of your recipes.
Be it arisi paruppu, tomato kuzhambu, this mutton kuzhambu, it takes me down the memory lane of my childhood days in coimbatore.
Pls bring in many more delicious kongunad recipes !
Thanks.
Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi,
Can I substitute chicken for mutton here? Pls advise.
Thank you
Sowmiya
Check this
https://www.kannammacooks.com/spicy-kongunad-kozhi-kuzhambu-chicken-curry-kurma/