Cooking with AH2: Mutton Black Curry (ceylon)

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I've been pimping it for a while, so I thought it was time to do a thread for it.
Hmm is the "Cooking with" tag still relevant now we have our own forum, ah well I've included it.


Mutton Black Curry (ceylon)
1kilo Stewing mutton or lamb (this time I had beef lying around)
Ghee for frying (very importaant you use ghee)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon coriander seed
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
15 dried chillis - if you like it hot, grind them up. Don't like it hot leave them whole and remove before serving(or do half&half). I'm using my own chilies(variety is actually called curry) they're only a little hotter than jalapeño so I'm using 25.
saffron pinch
1/2 litre coconut milk
2 garlic clothes
1 large onion
1-2 lemons juiced

1) grind spices
2) Fry spices in ghee until very dark coloured almost balck, but not burnt(except saffron) this is where it's name comes from
3) add all ingredients into a saucepan and stew for several hours. Add saffron and simmer for a few mins before serving.

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As you can see you don't brown the meat or onion, just throw it in.
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A couple of hours later you end up with this, don't forget to season it.
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Although like stews, curry taste better later on, so it will be lefton the side till saturday. I forgot I was going out tomorrow night.
Rich flavoursome and a fair kick to it, with that many chillies.
 
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That looks rather tasty. Certainly something different from the usual 'home-made' curry recipes you see knocking about.

Three questions for you, if I may:

#1 - What would you say the prominent flavour is and can you make it with less chilli for a more subtle dish?

#2 - Won't saffron just get blown away with all that spice? Seems a strange addition to the recipe, unless it's just for colour?

#3 - How many people does all that feed?

PS. You haven't specified how much saffron to add in your ingredients list.
 
1) obviously chilli flavour is predominant(so depends what chilies you have as the taste between them can change a lot) You can of course do it with less chillies. However just leave them whole and remove them before serving, that will reduce heat levels a lot.
2) no idea it's what the recipe called for. Just a pinch. Found it in a book that's about 50 years old, tried it and it's the only home made curry I'm totally happy with and actually has that takeaway taste that I find impossible to replicate. Other home made curry recipes find good, but always feel they are missing something.
3) 4-6 people depending on your portion size.
 
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Where did you get this recipe? I am surprised to see a sri lankan recipe using ghee. Ghee is more prevalent in north indian cuisine. Sri Lankan food is normally made with cooking oil.
 
Where did you get this recipe? I am surprised to see a sri lankan recipe using ghee. Ghee is more prevalent in north indian cuisine. Sri Lankan food is normally made with cooking oil.

Some recipe booking that's about 50years old. Although saying that ghee might be my addition. It does make such a difference in cirrus, no idea why though.
 
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