How to make the famous Champaran Mutton Curry

There is something special about things cooked or served in earthen pots. Be it Matka Kulfi, Handi Biryani or Kuldad Wali Chai, there is an old world charm, an earthly magic around them. Champaran Mutton also called Ahuna Meat or Batlohi, which means a handi in colloquial.

1. Like any other meat preparation in Bihar it uses similar spices and ingredients, but it is cooked on slow charcoal or wood fire in an earthen pot, uses whole spices, freshly ground spices, a whole garlic bulb and is not stirred with the ladle.

2. The whole pot is shaken once or twice.

3. Also, it does not use a drop of water and the meat is cooked in its own juices and the water released by onions.

4. Like Haleem, it takes several hours to cook and it is important for the flame to be low.

5. The mouth of the pot is sealed with dough like it’s done in ‘dum’ dishes, but if one has a tightly fitted cover, this can be skipped.

(Image courtesy: Instagram/@kumar.satya_media)

1 kg mutton, 5-6 medium sized onions, 7-8 garlic cloves made into a paste, 2 tsp ginger paste, 1 whole garlic bulb, 5 green chillies, 2 tsp each red chili powder, turmeric powder, chicken or meat masala powder, 1 cup curd, 2-3 bay leaves, ½ cup each mustard oil and desi ghee, salt as required

To be roughly ground: 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 20 black peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 each black and green cardamom

(Image courtesy: Instagram/@kavisaurabh)

1. Wash the mutton thoroughly and marinate it with 4 tsp curd, 1 tsp turmeric and 2 tsp mustard oil and 1 tsp salt, for 3-4 hours. Roughly grind the whole spices and keep aside.

2. Thinly slice the onions and make a paste of green chillies. You already have ginger and garlic paste. Do not use readymade paste and prepare it at home with fresh ingredients.

3. Place an iron tawa on gas burner and put the earthen pan over it. This will prevent the earthen pot from cracking. Keep the flame high and add together the mustard oil and ghee.

4. When it starts to smoke, add the ground spices along with bay leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add the whole garlic and onions and salt and cook till the onion turns pink. Add rest of the spices and mutton, give a mix and tightly cover the lid. Cook on low flame for 1 hour. Once or twice shake the entire pot to mix the contents of the pot. Remove the lid and check, you can add ½ cup water and cook covered for another 15 minutes if the mutton has not softened. Now remove from fire and serve with steaming hot rice or chapatti.

(Image courtesy: Instagram/@the_heart_of_foodie_)