Mrs Palanganda Kamy Thimmaiah’s culinary skills are legendary in her family circles. Having lived in the Andaman islands for a long time and later in Madras, she has been able to assimilate the best culinary traditions of those areas.

“Kamy Aunty’s mutton chops curry” is much talked about in the family circles of her nine sisters and one brother.

In typical Coorg mutton chops curry, coconut is used in the preparation. “Because of my long stay in Madras, I avoided using coconut. I sort of improvised by combining the styles of both Coorg and Madras,” says Kamy Thimmaiah.

 Ingredients:

Mutton – 1 kg ,
Chilli powder -1tsp ,
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp ,
Salt to taste .
One sliced onion ,
One sliced tomato ,
3 to 4 flakes of garlic crushed ,
small piece of ginger crushed

Method:

First wash and clean the mutton with little salt and turmeric powder well. Then marinate the mutton with the above ingredients for about half an hour. Pressure cook the mutton along with all other ingredients adding 1½ cup water.

Ingredients to grind:

1 ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp jeera, ½ tsp coriander seeds should be roasted on the thava separately.
1 “ Cinnamon, 2 to 3 cloves, ) into dark brown in colour
3 to 4 flakes of garlic ,
a small piece of ginger ,
grind all these into fine paste.
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves ,

Ingredients for seasoning:

2-3 tsp oil ,
1 piece cinnamon ,
2 cloves ,
2 onions sliced ,
1 medium size tomatoes chopped ,
½ tsp ginger paste ,
½ tsp Garlic paste ,
2 green chills / ½ tsp chill powder (optional) .
½ tsp chopped coriander leaves ,

Method:

Pour oil into a deep pan/ heavy bottom vessel and heat it .
Add 1 cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 to 3 pods of garlic and cook till it starts to change colour .
Add 2 sliced onions (cut into fairly big pieces), sauté till golden
brown .
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry well ,
Add the ground masala into this and fry till the oil floats on top of the masala .
Lastly, add the pressure cooked Mutton into this and continue to cook
on medium flame, stirring from time to time. Then add vinegar/ Kachumpuli/tamarind juice. Let it cook till you get a fine aroma .
If you want dry fry, do not add water .
If you want to have more gravy, add 1½ cup of water .
Finally, add coriander leaves. Now, switch off the stove and close the lid.
Goes well with plain or ghee rice.