A classic South Indian mutton sukka is simply to die for! This is one mutton recipe which you must master on if you are a mutton lover!
Mutton sukka is a restaurant classic in any good restaurant across South India. After we moved to Bangalore more than 10 years ago, mutton sukka was one such discovery for which I can’t be thankful enough!
We were so addicted to this South-Indian delicacy that we used to visit our favorite pub in Bangalore every weekend just to relish this mutton sukka because we discovered that it makes a killer combination with our favorite beer! Try it!
I am not sure of the origin of Mutton sukka; some restaurants call is Mangalorean mutton sukka which means it have originated in Mangalore. But irrespective of its birthplace, it is a true South-Indian dish with all the goodness of South-Indian cuisine.
The spice blend is a classic combination of all regular whole spices which are finally rounded up with the classic flavor of curry leaves and that’s what takes this mutton sukka to a different level! Don’t even think of skipping curry leaves if you wanna have the real deal!
There are many mutton sukka recipes available on net and I tried many of them. Finally I arrived at my own version which you can call an amalgamation of all the best mutton sukka recipes out there!
I prepared the spice mix by dry roasting the classic whole spices which created the right balance of sweet, savory, smoky, earthiness and heat. Black pepper and red chilli will give you the right kick of spiciness which gets beautifully balanced by sweetness of saunf.
The classic trio of cloves, cinnamon and cardamom add smokiness to the dish whereas the cumin and coriander contribute towards the earthiness of the entire flavor profile of mutton sukka! All in all, this dish is a celebration of all good things of Indian cuisine!
When you dry roast these spices, they release their flavors by releasing their essential oil which in turn flavors the food magnificently while cooking. Grind the roasted spices to make a fine powder and you are all set to win over everyone with your culinary skill, including yourself!
Once your spice mix is ready, you are ready to start with your mutton sukka. You have two options – you may pressure cook the mutton in little water with salt and turmeric. Then stir fry the cooked mutton in prepared spice mix along with onion and curry leaves.
Alternatively, you can marinate the mutton with half of the prepared spice mix and leave it for couple of hours. Then fry the marinated mutton in oil (or ghee) until they develop nice brown color on all sides. This step will develop lot of flavor in the mutton pieces.
Once the mutton pieces are sautéed, you can start frying the onion and curry leaves in the same pot. Finally bring everything together by combining the sautéed mutton pieces with fried onion & curry leaves and then add the remaining spice mix.
Keep sautéing until mutton is completely cooked through with little splashes of water in intervals. I followed the second method and you will find detailed instructions below. Once your mutton is tender and completely cooked through, switch off the flame and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving!
Finally you are ready to serve the amazing mutton sukka! Serve it for lunch or dinner with roti or paratha or relish it on a homely weekend evening with your favorite beer! Enjoy!
Loved it? Then you will love these too!
- Restaurant Style Mutton Rogan Josh
- Spicy Slow-Cooked Indian Mutton Curry
- Classic Bengali Mutton Curry
- Coriander seeds – 4 tsp
- Black peppercorn – 2 tsp or as per taste
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
- Dry red chillies – 2
- Cloves – 6 to8
- Cinnamon – 2-inch stick
- Green cardamom – 4 to 6
- Mutton (goat or lamb) curry cut – 1 kg, small to medium pieces
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Dry spice mix – ½ of the prepared amount
- Onion – 500 gms (about 5 large), thinly sliced
- Curry leaves – ¼ cup, tightly packed
- Green chillies – 4, slit through the center
- Ginger paste – 2 tbsp
- Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
- Freshly chopped coriander leaves – ¼ cup
- Salt to taste
- Oil or ghee – ½ cup
- Dry roast (without adding any oil) all the whole spices listed under dry spice mix in a small frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat until they become fragrant. Keep stirring them to prevent them from burning.
- Transfer the roasted spices to a plate and let them cool down. Once cooled, grind them to make a fine powder. Your powdered spice mix is ready.
- Take the mutton pieces in a large bowl and add turmeric powder, salt and half of the prepared dry spice mix. Massage the powdered spices evenly on all the mutton pieces. Take your time to ensure each piece is nicely coated with the masala. Leave the mutton to marinate for at least 2 hours.
- Now heat a kadai or a heavy bottomed pot and add ¼ cup of oil or ghee. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated mutton pieces to it.
- Sauté the mutton in oil (or ghee) on medium high flame by stirring them frequently for about 25 to 30 minutes or until there is no excess water left in the pan. There should be nice brown color developed on the mutton pieces. This step is crucial to build the flavor of mutton sukka, so take your time here and don’t rush!
- After about 30 minutes, cover the pot and let the mutton cook in its own steam for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the mutton pieces are tender and cooked through. Once the mutton is nicely sautéed, take them out in a large bowl and set aside until needed.
- Heat the remaining oil or ghee in the same pot and add the sliced onion. Sauté the onion on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes; then add the slit green chillies and curry leaves.
- Continue to fry on medium heat for another 5-6 mins until the onions turn translucent and lightly browned around the edges. Now add the ginger & garlic paste and sauté them for 2 mins.
- Once the onion turns golden brown, add the sautéed mutton along with all the accumulated juice at the bottom of the bowl. Mix everything really well.
- Now add the remaining spice mix prepared earlier and give a mix. Sauté on high heat for around 6-7 mins. If the spices start to stick to the bottom of the pan, then add few splashes of water to deglaze the pan.
- Continue cooking until mutton pieces are completely cooked through and turn deep brown in color. Also, all the liquid should be absorbed by now. Check and adjust seasoning if needed at this stage.
- Finally add the freshly chopped coriander leaves and fry on high heat for 1-2 mins till oil separates.
- Your mutton sukka is ready to serve! Enjoy it with roti or paratha or just on its own! It’s pure delight! Enjoy!
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