Laal maas with bajra roti

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 1 kgMutton (curry cut), washed
• 200 gCurd, whisked
• 3 mlTurmeric
• to tasteSalt
• 15Dried red chillies, Mathania, stems removed
• ≈ 150 mlWater, hot, for soaking
• 3Onions, thinly sliced
• 15 clovesGarlic, peeled
• 6 tbspGhee, for the curry
• 2Bay leaves
• 5Cloves
• 1 gCardamom, 4 whole pods
• 2Black cardamom pods
• 1 tspCumin, seeds
• 1 tbspKashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tbspCoriander powder
• ≈ 500 mlWater, hot, for the curry
• 2 tbspCoriander leaves, chopped

On the side

• 400 gBajra flour
• ≈ 300 mlWater, warm, for the dough
• 2 tbspGhee, for the rotis

Method

1. Mix the mutton with the curd, turmeric and salt.
2. Cover and leave to marinate for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge.
3. Break the stems off the dried red chillies, shake out some of the seeds if you want it milder and soak them in the hot water for 20 minutes.
4. Slice the onions thinly and pound the garlic to a paste.
5. Grind the softened chillies with their soaking water to a smooth paste.
6. Heat the ghee in the pressure cooker and add the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, black cardamom and cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the onions and fry on a medium flame until deep golden brown, 12–15 minutes.
7. Stir in the garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the chilli paste, Kashmiri chilli powder and coriander powder and fry on a medium-low flame for 2–3 minutes, until the ghee separates, without letting the chilli burn.
8. Add the mutton with its marinade and bhuno on a medium-high flame for 10–12 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom, until the curd dries up and the ghee separates.
9. Pour in the hot water, stir and close the cooker. Pressure-cook on a medium flame for 6 whistles, about 25 minutes, and let the pressure drop by itself.
10. Meanwhile, make the bajra rotis: mix the bajra flour with a pinch of salt and knead a quarter of it at a time with warm water, rubbing it with the heel of your hand until smooth (bajra dough cracks if it sits). Pat each ball between wet palms into a 15 cm round about 5 mm thick. Cook it on a hot tawa for a minute, brushing the top with water, flip and cook the other side, then puff it over the flame until brown-spotted. Make 8, spread them with ghee and keep them wrapped in a cloth.
11. Open the cooker and check that the meat comes off the bone. If the gravy is thin, boil it uncovered for a few minutes until thick and red, with ghee on top. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve with the bajra rotis.

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