Meat durbari, as evident by its name, was one of the favorite dishes of royal people of Mughal regime and was one of the most demanded delicacies by nawabs of Lucknow-India. This aromatic and yummy mutton delicacy is a favorite among most non vegetarian food lovers and is easy to cook at home.

Ingredients

• Mutton, cleaned & chopped into equal sized pieces          500 grams
• Onions, finely chopped                                                   2 medium
• Garlic cloves, crushed                                                    5 – 6
• Ginger, minced                                                              1 inch
• Green chilies, slit to half lengthwise                               2
• Tomatoes, pureed                                                           2 medium
• Coriander, finely chopped                                              1 tablespoon
• Cashew nuts, soaked and ground to paste                        6 – 8
• Sesame seeds                                                                  1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds                                                                 1 teaspoon
• Bay leaf                                                                          1
• Black pepper corns                                                          6 – 8
• Cloves                                                                             3 – 4
• Dried whole red chilies, soaked for 20 minutes                 2 – 3
• Cumin seeds                                                                    1 teaspoon
• White vinegar                                                                  1 tablespoon
• Red chili powder                                                              ½ teaspoon
• Turmeric powder                                                             ½ tablespoon
• Garam masala                                                                 ½ teaspoon
• Salt                                                                                  To taste
• Oil or ghee                                                                       2 tablespoons

Equipment Needed

• Blender
• Saucepan with lid

Procedure

1. Take a blender jar add sesame seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaf, black pepper corns, soaked whole red chilies, cloves, some salt and vinegar into it and grind to paste, add little water if required.

Tip: 1 tablespoon of beaten curd may be added to marinade instead of vinegar.

2. Take mutton pieces in a bowl and add this ground spices paste to it rubbing and coating the marinade all around evenly. Keep in refrigerator to marinate for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Put a saucepan on medium heat with ghee or oil in it. Add cumin seeds, when they start crackling add chopped onions and sauté for few minutes until they are tender.
4. Add minced ginger and crushed garlic to onions and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add marinated mutton pieces and fry with onions stirring them until they are light brown in color.

Tip: Marinated mutton pieces may be deep-fried separately before adding to onions.

5. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt to taste and little water to pan, mix well and cook it covered with lid for 30 minutes or until mutton is tender and done well.
6. Open the lid, add tomato puree, chopped coriander and green chilies and cook for 3 to 4 minutes so that rawness of tomato puree is gone.
7. Then add cashew nuts paste to it and cook further for 3 to 4 minutes while mixing it gently. Add garam masala and give it a mix.

Tip: 1 teaspoon coriander powder and some crushed kasoori methi may be added to enhance fragrance of the cuisine.

8. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl, serve hot with rumali roti/naan or rice.

Preparation Time: 60 minutes (excluding marinating time)

Serves: 2 – 3