Hyderabad Mutton Masala
Slowcooked to perfection in rich spices, this mutton curry is mouthwateringly good and easier to make than you think
Equipment
- heavy bottom pot
Ingredients
- 350 g mutton shoulder
- 1 cup cooking oil to fry onions
- 2 big red onions, thinly sliced (+ 1-2 tbs water)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1 tbs lemon juice (don't add too much or else too sour)
- 1/2-1 tbsp red chilli powder (up to your tolerance for spiciness)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
- 1 tbs ghee
Instructions
- Slice up red onions thinly. Heat up oil in heavy bottom pot. Fry onions until golden brown, but not burnt. Remove from oil and drain.
- To the fried onions, add 1-2 tbs water and peeled garlic cloves. Use a stick-blender to blend mixture into a paste.
- Rub garlic-onion paste, yogurt, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger powder, salt and chopped coriander leaves into mutton. [See Note 1]
- Use the mutton straight away. Heat up a tbs of ghee in Dutch oven. Add marinated mutton. Add about half cup water, then cover with lid and cook on low flame for 45min-1 hour. The amount of time would depend on the cut of your meat, so adjust accordingly.
- Remove lid. Simmer further on low heat if curry is not thick enough. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
Notes
Hyderabad Mutton Masala - Quick FAQ
1. What cut of mutton works best for mutton masala?
Use bone-in mutton (shoulder, leg, ribs). Bones release flavour and collagen, which deepen the masala and keep the meat tender.
2. Why blend fried onions into a paste?
This Smita Deo technique pushes onion sweetness deep into the meat.
It creates a richer, fuller masala compared to simply frying onions in the pot. 3. How long should I marinate the mutton? At least 3–4 hours. Overnight is even better — especially with yogurt and onion paste, which tenderise the meat beautifully. 4. My mutton is still tough. What went wrong? Two likely reasons: The meat needed more simmering time The cut wasn’t suitable (avoid very lean cuts) Mutton needs patience — low and slow always wins. 5. Can I pressure-cook the mutton masala? Yes. A pressure cooker or Instant Pot makes the meat tender faster.
However, always finish the masala uncovered to thicken and intensify the flavours. 6. How do I get that deep red colour without food colouring? Use: Kashmiri chili powder Good-quality turmeric Tomato The browned colour from fried onion paste All-natural ingredients give a gorgeous red hue. 7. What do I serve mutton masala with? Perfect with: Basmati rice Roti or chapati Naan Lemon rice Or layered into a true dum biryani It’s also even better the next day as the flavours deepen.
It creates a richer, fuller masala compared to simply frying onions in the pot. 3. How long should I marinate the mutton? At least 3–4 hours. Overnight is even better — especially with yogurt and onion paste, which tenderise the meat beautifully. 4. My mutton is still tough. What went wrong? Two likely reasons: The meat needed more simmering time The cut wasn’t suitable (avoid very lean cuts) Mutton needs patience — low and slow always wins. 5. Can I pressure-cook the mutton masala? Yes. A pressure cooker or Instant Pot makes the meat tender faster.
However, always finish the masala uncovered to thicken and intensify the flavours. 6. How do I get that deep red colour without food colouring? Use: Kashmiri chili powder Good-quality turmeric Tomato The browned colour from fried onion paste All-natural ingredients give a gorgeous red hue. 7. What do I serve mutton masala with? Perfect with: Basmati rice Roti or chapati Naan Lemon rice Or layered into a true dum biryani It’s also even better the next day as the flavours deepen.