Uppu means salt in Tamil and Kari means meat. This dish is one of my all time favorite ways to eat goat in Indian cuisine. Uppu Kari is a very popular dish in Chettinad Cuisine. Its is generally a dry mutton preparation. I love the fiery flavors that go so well with tender morsels of goat meat.
I love the way this dish is made in Urmila Aunty’s kitchen. Finally, I’ve found a recipe that is easy enough to recreate in my own kitchen.
MUTTON UPPU KARI
Serves 2
3 inches cinnamon
4-5 cloves
1 tbsp. fennel seeds (saunf)
2-3 bay leaves
1 sprig curry leaves
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp. garlic and ginger paste
2 small plum tomatoes, chopped
¼ kg boneless mutton, cubed small
¼ tsp. turmeric
½ tbsp. magic masala ( can substitute with garam masala)
3-4 whole red chilies, fried in hot oil
METHOD
- Heat 4 tbsp. oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and bay leaves.
- Stir for a minute.
- Add the curry leaves, garlic and ginger paste and curry leaves.
- Add the chopped onions.
- Stir-fry for about 10 minutes.
- Add 2 small chopped tomatoes.
- Cook well for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped meat and add 1/4 tsp. turmeric.
- Add salt to taste and the fried whole chilies.
- Add 1/2 tbsp. of the magic or garam masala
- Stir and add 1 cup of water.
- Cover and cook for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Then remove cover and continue to cook until the mixture becomes semi dry ( 20 – 25 minutes).
- Serve hot with white rice.
