Kolhapuri tambda rassa with pandhra rassa

Step 1: Put 1 ⅔ lb bone-in mutton or goat in a heavy pot with 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp salt and 5 ½ cups water. Bring to the boil over a high heat and skim off the grey foam that rises.

Step 2: Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 70–80 minutes, until the meat is soft and pulls easily from the bone. (In a pressure cooker: 25 minutes on high pressure, then let the pressure drop naturally.)

Step 3: Lift the meat out with a slotted spoon and strain the stock. You need about 900 ml; top up with water if there is less. Keep both warm.

Step 4: Toast 2 ⅛ oz desiccated coconut (or dried copra, grated) in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat, stirring all the time, for 4–5 minutes until evenly deep golden brown. Tip it onto a plate.

Step 5: Heat 1 ⅝ tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil in the same pan and fry 2 onions over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until dark brown at the edges. Add 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp coriander seeds and 1 tbsp white sesame seeds and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 6: Blend the onion and spice mixture with the toasted coconut and 150 ml water to a smooth, thick paste.

Step 7: For the pandhra rassa, blend 1 oz cashews with 1 cup coconut milk until silky. Pour half of the warm stock into a small pan, stir in the cashew milk and ½ tsp ground black or white pepper and heat gently for 5 minutes. Keep it at a bare simmer: a hard boil splits coconut milk. Taste for salt.

Step 8: For the tambda rassa, heat the remaining 4 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil in the large pot over a medium heat, add the masala paste and fry for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and oil seeps out at the edges.

Step 9: Turn the heat to low and stir in 3 tbsp Kolhapuri chilli powder (kanda-lasun masala) for 30 seconds. Common mistake: frying chilli powder over a high heat; it scorches in seconds and makes the whole rassa bitter.

Step 10: Return the mutton to the pot and turn it in the masala for 3 minutes, then pour in the rest of the stock. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until a layer of red oil (tarri) floats on top. Taste and add salt if needed.

Step 11: Serve the red and white rassas in separate bowls with the mutton, scattered with 2 tbsp coriander leaves, alongside jowar bhakri or rice.