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Hyderabadi mutton curry is made with mutton pieces marinated with a blend of green leaves, almonds and whole and powdered spices. The taste and flavor of the rich and thick base are further enhanced by Dahi, sesame seeds, almonds, and an indispensable combination of onions, garlic, ginger and others. The juiciness of the soft mutton pieces is typically rendered by the slow cooking process of the curry, which is further enhanced by a touch of ghee and lemon juice at the end of the cooking process. Read on my simple recipe to learn the method to cook Hyderabadi mutton curry at home.

Table of Contents

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Hyderabadi mutton curry is a popular and traditional dish in many Indian homes.
Serve it with steamed rice, plain roti, tandoori roti, plain naan, butter naan, or paratha for a complete and satisfying meal.

Hyderabadi mutton curry offers a rich, spicy, nutty, and creamy taste with a hint of tanginess due to the lemon juice added in the end.
Other similar recipes are mutton rogan josh, mutton korma, mutton masala, and Mughlai mutton curry.

The Ingredients:

500 grams mutton (cut into small pieces)

To make the masala paste:

3 pieces green cardamom (hari elaichi, whole)
½ tsp black peppercorns (kali mirch, whole)
1 piece cinnamon (darchini, 1-inch stick)
4 pieces cloves (laung)
1 tsp caraway seeds (shah zeera)
1 tbsp desiccated coconut (nariyal ka burada)
1 tbsp white sesame seeds (safed til)
10 pieces almonds (badam)
2 tbsp coriander leaves (hara dhaniya, chopped)
2 tbsp mint leaves (pudina, chopped)
4 pieces green chilies (broken in half)
1 piece ginger (adrak, 1-inch size, cut into small pieces)

4 pieces garlic cloves (lassan, peeled, whole)
Water – as required to make the paste

To marinate the mutton pieces:

1 tsp red chili powder (laal mirch)
1 tsp salt (namak)
½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp coriander powder (dhaniya)
½ tsp cumin powder (jeera)
½ tsp garam masala powder
4 tbsp yogurt (Dahi)

To cook the mutton:

2 tbsp cooking oil
150 grams onion (grated)
½ tsp shah zeera
2 pieces green cardamom (whole)
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (optional)
1.5 cups water
1 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
Coriander leaves (a handful, fresh and finely chopped)

During a random call with my sister, who is in Hyderabad, one afternoon, we got onto this recipe in the middle of our chat, which also included family and health issues and how we struggle to come up with new menu ideas. Out of the blue she shares this recipe with me and challenges me to prepare it for either lunch or dinner. She walked me through the process, and I jotted it all down in my kitchen notebook, and at that point I was so excited to try it out for my family and could see them reacting to it in great joy.

I gave in to the urge and did it the very next day, and to my joy, it turned out to be very tasty and flavorful. I had the perfect marination and cooking method down; the proportion of spices and other ingredients that I used brought out the best in the gravy. My husband was a fan of the tenderness and juice of the mutton, while my sons wanted more and more. That made me very proud, and I was grateful to my sister for that day’s chat.

How to Make Hyderabadi Mutton Curry? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: In a bowl, take 3 pieces of green cardamom (hari elaichi, whole), ½ tsp of black peppercorns (kali mirch, whole), 1 piece of cinnamon (darchini, 1-inch stick), 4 pieces of cloves (laung), and 1 tsp of caraway seeds (shah zeera). Also, take 1 tbsp of desiccated coconut (nariyal ka burada), 1 tbsp of white sesame seeds (safed til), and 10 pieces of almonds (badam) in the same bowl. Follow it up with 2 tbsp of coriander leaves (hara dhaniya, chopped), 2 tbsp of mint leaves (pudina, chopped), 4 pieces of green chilies (broken in half), 1 piece of ginger (adrak, 1-inch size, cut into small pieces), and 4 pieces of garlic cloves (lassan, peeled, whole).

Step 2: Put them all in a mixer jar and make a fine paste.

Step 3: Now, in a large bowl, take 500 grams of mutton (cut into small pieces) and add the masala paste to it. Follow it up with 1 tsp of red chili powder (laal mirch), 1 tsp of salt (namak), ½ tsp of turmeric powder (haldi), 1 tsp of coriander powder (dhaniya), ½ tsp of cumin powder (jeera), ½ tsp of garam masala powder, and 4 tbsp of yogurt (Dahi).

Step 4: Mix everything, cover the bowl, and keep it aside to set.

Step 5: Fry 150 grams of grated onion until soft, and then add ½ tsp of shah zeera and 2 pieces of whole green cardamom to it. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 6: Now, add the marinated mutton pieces and cook on a high flame until it releases oil.

Step 7: Add 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 8: Now, add 1.5 cups of water. Cover it and cook for 45 to 50 minutes on a low flame.

Step 9: Check the consistency of the gravy after 45 minutes and add 1 tsp of lime juice and 2 tbsp of ghee or clarified butter to it. Let it cook for a minute.