Mutton Lauki Gravy | Mutton Churakka Curry

Bottle gourd has a mild, neutral, slightly sweet taste that pairs well with many of the veggies, sea food or meat items. I had posted a prawns recipe with lauki sometime back, which is very delicious too. Check out the recipe link here.

Mutton in itself is a rich gravy and when any neutral veggies are added to this gravy, the taste of the veggie is enhanced when cooked in the tasty mutton gravy. Lauki is spongy fleshy vegetable which will surely absorb the flavours of the broth and spices well. The added veggie can be tweaked in for kids who don't otherwise eat veggies. Do check out this simple tasty recipe.

Watch the YouTube #shorts for the full recipe video.

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Serves ~ 4

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

mutton 400 g

lauki (bottle gourd) 2 cups

onion 1 sliced

ginger-garlic paste 1tbsp

tomato 1 medium sized chopped

green chillies 1-2 sliced

whole spices bayleaf 1, cinnamon 1/2'' piece, cloves 2-3, cardamom 2

coriander powder 1.5 tbsp

kashmiri chilli powder 2 tsp

hot chilli powder 1 tsp

pepper powder 1/4 tsp

garam masala powder 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder 1/3 tsp

salt to taste

oil 2 tbsp

coriander leaves 1 tbsp chopped

to temper

oil/ ghee 1tbsp

cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

red dry chillies 2 broken

curry leaves 2 sprigs

Method

• Wash & clean the mutton pieces, rinse under running water 3-4 times. Drain the water completely, keep aside.
• Heat a cooker and add oil. Add the whole spices followed by sliced onions, green chillies, and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until lightly browned.
• Add the spice powders on low flame and sauté for 45 seconds. Add in the tomato and a little splash of water. Mix everything well and cook till tomatoes turn soft.
• Add the washed drained mutton pieces. Give a quick mix, add salt and wait till mutton starts to leave out water. Add 1/2 cup of boiing water. Cover the lid and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.
• In the mean time, peel and wash the bottle guard. Cut in cube size pieces, keep aside.
• Once the pressure is released, add the cubed bottle guard pieces, give a quick mix. Add salt if needed after taste testing. Close the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release.
• Open the lid, add in coriander leaves. Give a quick mix to check if everything is cooked well and the gravy is thickened.
• Heat another pan, add oil/ ghee. When hot, crackle cumin seeds followed by red dry chillies and curry leaves. Switch off the flame.
• Pour over the gravy and give a quick mix. Keep covered till serving. Serve warm with phulkas or chapathis.

NOTES

* Bottle guard adds a mild sweetness and volume to the gravy.

* This measure yields a moderately spicy curry, adjust as per taste buds.