Tangy mutton and ladies finger curry (Bhindi aur gosht ka khatta saalan)

Grilling mutton is one of those delicacies that is considered to be ‘manly’ – not for women to cook.However, it’s quite easy to make, especially when I use bhindi (okra) and ladies finger (okra and lady finger are the same thing) in a curry. I call this dish Bhindi bhaji, but you can call it ladies finger bhaji too. It is also a good idea to use a can of tomato sauce, as a lot of the taste comes from the sauce.

For some reason, the curry always gets a bad rap, but it is one of the best things you can put in your mouth. A traditional Indian curry is made by slowly cooking a mixture of spices, vegetables and meat in a sauce, which contrasts greatly to the quick-cooking curries you can buy in the supermarket. The curry is slow cooked as the flavors blend together with the use of a variety of spices. A thicker sauce is created by simmering the meat for longer than a quick fry will ever do. The meat must be tender and tasty and the vegetables must be crisp. The curry must be hot and spicy and very tasty.

A traditional Gujarati dish, Bhindi aur Gosht ka Khatta Saaal is a very popular dish. It can be prepared with mutton or chicken.

Bhendi Ghost, also known as Bhendi aur Ghost ka khatta saalan, is a tamarind-based curry with a tomato and onion base. The mutton/lamb and okra combination known as Bhendi aur Ghost ka khatta salan is extremely popular in Hyderabad, India, and other areas of India, as well as Pakistan. Apart from tamarind, which has a sour flavor, I used onion, tomato, and coconut as a foundation for Bhendi ghost. The mix of meat and okra gives this curry additional flavor, texture, and taste. Because I added coconut in my dish, there will be more gravy. When we add veggies to such curries, we generally don’t add much meat since it’s not simply a meaty meal. You may alter the meat and veggies according to your preferences.

If it’s a meat dish, such as mutton or lamb, we add veggies of our choosing to the curry foundation. After the beef curry has been cooked, you may add any veggies you like. At home, we call our curries by various names, such as Bhendi aur gosht ka mittah saalan (Okra / Ladies finger and Mutton curry without tamarind) or Bhendi aur gosht ka khatta saalan (Okra / Ladies finger and Mutton curry without tamarind) (Okra and Mutton curry with tamarind). So our fundamental curry names are khatta saalan with tamarind and mittah saalan without tamarind. Because I like the tanginess of tamarind-based curries, I always choose for them.

Most of my meat curries are made in a pressure cooker since the meat cooks quickly and is tender. Because okra has a slimy texture, I cooked it separately instead of putting it straight to the curry, so the curry would not have a slimier texture. Bhendi ghost is delicious with hot rice and roti (chapathi).

Time to prepare: 10 minutes

Time to cook: 45 minutes

Andhra cuisine (home style)

Spiciness: sour and spicy

3 or more people

Ingredients

    • 1/3 cup of oil
    • 500 g lamb (with bones)
    • 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
    • 3 tsp chili powder
    • 2 tbsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 3 cups of water
    • 1 (medium) or 100 gms sliced tomato
    • Tamarind — the size of a tiny lemon
    • 4 green chillies
    • a handful or 1/2 cup coriander leaves (chopped)

spices in their natural state

    • -5 cloves
    • 2 cinnamon sticks (3 inch lengths)
    • 5 green cardamoms

Paste

    • 2 (medium) or 200 gms onion
    • 1 (large) or 150 gms tomato
    • 1/2 cup shredded fresh coconut

Okra in a pan

  • 2 tsp. oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 300 gms okra

Method

Preparation

    • Chop the tomato and coriander leaves into small pieces. Using a knife, slit the green chilies. Make sure they’re prepared.
    • I used frozen shredded coconut and frozen chopped okra in this recipe. You may use whatever is most convenient. Cut the okra into 2-inch chunks if using fresh okra.
    • To extract all of the juices from the tamarind, soak it in 1 cup of warm water and press it. Strain the tamarind water and set it aside.

Paste

    • In a mixer or blender, combine all of the ingredients to a smooth paste. You may grind it with a little water. Put the paste in a basin and set it aside. To clean the mixer, add 1/2 cup of water or remove the paste connected to the mixer and use the water for the curry.

Curry

    • Heat the oil in the pressure cooker and add the entire spices once it is heated. Stir for 10 seconds before adding the lamb. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Combine all of the dry powders, as well as the ginger and garlic paste. Stir rapidly for 2–3 minutes, or until all of the spices are thoroughly toasted in the oil.
    • Cook for approximately 2 minutes after adding the chopped tomato.
    • Combine the coconut paste, 1/2 cup of the water used to clean the mixer, and about 2 cups of water to cook the lamb. When applying the paste, be cautious not to splatter it on yourself.
    • Mix thoroughly. Cook until the pressure cooker’s cover is closed and the food is thoroughly cooked. Turn off the heat after 4 to 5 whistles in the cooker. Allow it to sit for a bit (until pressure in the cooker is fully released).
    • Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan or kadai. When the pan is heated, add the cumin seeds and swirl for 10 seconds. On a high heat, add the sliced okra and cook until it is browned. There’s no need to fully cook the okra. We just need the color and to make the okra less slimy.
    • Add the fried okra after opening the cooker cover.
    • 1 cup tamarind water, 1/2 cup water, green chilies, coriander leaves, and salt to taste Close the pressure cooker cover and cook for another 1 or 2 whistles. Turn it off and let it alone for a few minutes.

Or

  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rawness of the tamarind has gone and the curry is well cooked. On medium heat, it will take approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Simmer for another 10 minutes with the top covered until a gravy consistency has been achieved. Turn it off and wait a few minutes before opening it.
  • When it’s done, the oil separates from the gravy/curry, and the okra and lamb are both cooked well.
  • Enjoy it with simple rice or roti (chapathi).

Notes

  • Preheat the pressure cooker and add oil for a simple method. When it’s heated, add all of the ingredients, except the tamarind, okra, green chilies, and coriander leaves, one by one, and cook the meat.
  • Cooking may be done in any regular vessel if you don’t have a stove. Simmer the lamb first, then add the veggies and continue to cook (like turi ka saalan).
  • If the gravy is too thick, add more water.
  • The same components I used in arvi ka khatta saalan may be utilized to make bhendi gosht. The curry takes on a unique flavor because to the dried coconut that goes into it.
  • You may prepare this curry with the same paste and spices and add Arvi, turnip, radish (mooli), or potatoes.
  • If you don’t want to eat green chilies, don’t. Coriander leaves may be added at the conclusion of the dish.
  • Curry leaves are added to the oil to add flavor and improve the taste.
  • Instead of soaking the dried tamarind in water and using it, you may add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of thick concentrated tamarind paste. Add tamarind to taste, depending on how sour you want the curry to be.

 

Una is a food website blogger motivated by her love of cooking and her passion for exploring the connection between food and culture. With an enthusiasm for creating recipes that are simple, seasonal, and international, she has been able to connect with people around the world through her website. Una's recipes are inspired by her travels across Mexico, Portugal, India, Thailand, Australia and China. In each of these countries she has experienced local dishes while learning about the culture as well as gaining insight into how food can be used as a bridge between different cultures. Her recipes are often creative combinations of traditional ingredients from various different cuisines blended together to create something new.