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Khatta meat
खट्टा मीट: Dogra mutton in a sour gravy of dried pomegranate seeds, fennel and ginger
Khatta meat is a pride of Jammu's Dogra kitchens, cooked for family gatherings and the winter wedding season: mutton on the bone simmered slowly in mustard oil with fennel and dry ginger, then soured with ground anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) or lemon. The gravy is thin, tangy and deep red, eaten with plain rice. It has no curd or tomato; the sourness comes from the pomegranate alone. The common mistake is adding the anardana early, when it turns bitter during the long cook; stir it in for the last ten minutes. Chef's tip: grind the anardana fresh and soak it in a little hot water first, then strain, for a clean, fruity sourness without grit.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the curry
- 1 ¾ lb mutton on the bonecut into curry pieces
- 5 tbsp mustard oil
- 4 cloves
- 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing)
- 2 onionsfinely sliced
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground fennel
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 cups hot water
To sour
- 2 tbsp dried pomegranate seeds (anardana)ground
- ¼ cup hot water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
- ½ tsp garam masala
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 5 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy pot until it just smokes, then let it cool for a minute. Add 4 cloves, 2 black cardamom, 2 bay leaves and 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing).
3 minStep 2: Add 2 onions and fry 10 minutes over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in 1 tbsp garlic paste for 1 minute.
11 minStep 3: Add 1 ¾ lb mutton on the bone and sear on high, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the pieces are browned and the juices have dried.
10 minStep 4: Lower the heat and add 3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp ground fennel, 1 tsp ground dry ginger (sonth), 2 tsp ground coriander and 1 ½ tsp salt with a splash of water. Fry 5 minutes, stirring, until the oil separates.
5 minStep 5: Add 3 cups hot water, cover and simmer gently 50–60 minutes (or pressure-cook 4 whistles) until the meat is tender and the thickest piece reaches 160°F or more.
55 minStep 6: Meanwhile soak 2 tbsp dried pomegranate seeds (anardana) in ¼ cup hot water for 10 minutes, then press through a sieve and keep the liquid.
10 minStep 7: Stir the pomegranate liquid into the pot and simmer 10 minutes uncovered until the gravy is thin but glossy. Taste and add 1 tbsp lemon juice for more sourness. Finish with ½ tsp garam masala and serve with rice.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khatta meat take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
- What can I use instead of black cardamom?
- Green cardamom, same number, with a pinch of smoked paprika (for the smoky note).
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