Mutton Kulambu Recipe (Mutton Kuzhambu)
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Mutton Kulambu (Mutton Kuzhambu) is a spicy village-style mutton curry famous in India’s Chettinad region. It can be made in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot. Make this South Indian mutton curry using my easy recipe.
Here are some more mutton recipes that you may like: Railway Mutton Curry, Punjabi Mutton Curry, Kashmiri Mutton Rogan Josh, and Bhuna Gosht.
Table of Contents
After moving to Bangalore after getting married, my understanding of South Indian cuisine evolved drastically. As North Indians, we were only exposed to Dosa, Idli, and Uttapam under the name of South Indian food.
I first encountered Mutton Kulambu at a friend’s house, where we were invited for dinner. And I must say it was love at first bite. She served it with Ragi Mudde, which made a fabulous combination of taste and textures.
I asked for the recipe, and she obliged. Since then, I have not held back. I have made this curry multiple times for parties and weekend meals, and it has never disappointed me.
Mutton Kulambu Curry (Mutton Kuzhambu), pronounced koo-lum-boo in Tamil, is a popular mutton (goat meat) curry from Tamil Nadu and the Chettinad region.
This spicy mutton curry has an onion-tomato base flavored with a delicious paste made using fresh coconut and spices.
The combination of coconut and poppy seeds gives this thin curry a distinct flavor that is just too delicious.
This curry tastes best the next day as the flavors meld very well. If you have time, try to make it some time in advance.
Ingredients
For The Masala Paste
- Dry red chilies – Try to use Kashmiri dry red chilies, as they give a nice red color to the curry without making it too spicy. If you like to make it spicy, use a hot variety of chili (Guntur chilies).
- White poppy seeds (khus khus) – If white poppy seeds are unavailable, you can replace them with cashew nuts or melon seeds.
- Fresh coconut – This curry tastes best when made using fresh coconut. To save time, you can buy already-grated frozen fresh coconut. You will find it in the freezer section of any Indian grocery store. If fresh coconut is unavailable, use dry coconut instead.
- Whole spices – This paste uses whole spices such as cumin seeds, fennel seeds (saunf), cloves (laung), cinnamon sticks (dalchini), and whole black peppercorns (kalimirch).
- Fresh ingredients – You will need garlic, fresh ginger, and onions.
For The Curry
- Bone-in goat mutton (or lamb) – You can use boneless mutton, too, but I feel the bones add a lot of flavor, so I highly recommend using bone-in mutton.
- Oil – Use gingelly oil or peanut oil for an authentic flavor.
- Fresh ingredients – You will need onions, curry leaves, green chilies, and tomatoes.
- Spice powders – This curry is flavored with salt, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder.
You can also add a teaspoon of coriander powder and other spice powders to thicken the curry.
You can add ยฝ cup of coconut milk once the curry is ready, then bring it to a gentle simmer.
How To Make Mutton Kulambu
Make The Masala Paste
Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a small blender jar.
- 1 tablespoon white poppy seeds (or cashew nuts)
- 6-8 whole dry red chilies (remove the stalk)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2-3 cloves
- 1-inch piece of whole cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- ยฝ cup chopped onions
- 2 tablespoon chopped or grated fresh coconut
Step 2: Add ยฝ cup of water and blend until smooth. Scrap the sides of the blender a few times while blending. Set aside.
You can dry-roast the spices before grinding for a more robust flavor.
Make The Curry
Step 3: Heat 4 tablespoon oil in a pressure cooker over high heat.
Step 4: Once the oil is hot, add the following ingredients.
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 3-4 green chilies (slit in half)
Cook until the onions are softened and light golden brown, stirring regularly. This will take 6-8 minutes.
Step 5: Add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt, then cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently.
Step 6: Add ยฝ teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder and cook for another minute.
Step 7: Now add the ground masala paste and 500 g bone-in mutton pieces (cut into 1 and ยฝ-inch pieces) to the cooker.
Clean the jar using water, and add water to the pressure cooker to prevent the masala from being wasted.
If you want to use boneless mutton, then use 300 g of boneless mutton cut into pieces.
Step 8: Stir well.
Step 9: Add 2 cups of water to the cooker and close the lid. Pressure cook for one whistle on high heat. Then, set the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.
Step 10: Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid of the cooker once the pressure is released. Check for salt and add more if required.
Adjust the gravy consistency by adding more water if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) and serve hot.
If the mutton is not tender, pressure cook for another 8-10 minutes over medium heat.
Mutton Kulambu FAQs
Make the masala paste and set it aside.
Then, press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Once it says HOT, add oil.
Follow the recipe until the ground masala paste is added.
Add 1 cup of water and close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to the sealing position.
Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 25 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot.
Check for salt and add more if required.
Adjust the gravy consistency by adding more water if needed. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
Try to buy the mutton from the leg or the shoulder to make curries.
When buying mutton for curry, always look for a few bone pieces, as they release a lot of flavor.
Other than that, include some liver, also known as Kaleji; it is delicious and tastes great when cooked with delicious spices.
The pieces should be 1-ยฝ inches in size.
I like to serve this flavorful spicy mutton kuzhambu curry with steamed or ghee rice. Idiyappam, appam, or ragi mudde also pair very well with it. You can also serve Kerala parotta, phulka, naan, or any other Indian bread with it.
Mutton Kulambu tastes its best the next day, when the flavors have had time to come together. So try to make it a day in advance. You can store the leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until hot, then serve. Add some water if the curry has thickened after refrigeration.
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Other Indian Non-Vegetarian Curry Recipes We Recommend
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Mutton Kulambu Recipe (Mutton Kuzhambu)
Ingredients
To Make The Masala Paste
- 1 tablespoon white poppy seeds (replace with cashew nuts if poppy seeds are not available)
- 6-8 whole dry red chilies (stalks removed)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- 2-3 cloves (laung)
- 1 inch piece of whole cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns (kalimirch)
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped or grated fresh coconut
To Make The Curry
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 3-4 green chilies (slit into half)
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 500 grams bone-in goat mutton (cut into 1-½ inch chunks. Use 300 g boneless mutton pieces if you want to use boneless mutton)
Instructions
Make The Masala Paste
- Add all the ingredients to make the paste to a small blender jar
- Add ½ cup of water and blend to make a smooth paste. Scrap the sides of the blender a few times while blending. Set aside.
Make The Curry
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker over high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add onions, curry leaves, and green chilies. Cook until the onions are softened and light golden brown, stirring regularly. This will take 6-8 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder and cook for another minute.
- Now add the ground masala paste and mutton and stir well. Clean the jar using water and add the water to the pressure cooker to prevent the masala from being wasted.
- Add 2 cups of water to the cooker and close the lid. Pressure cook for one whistle on high heat. Then, set the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.
- Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid of the cooker once the pressure is released.
- Check for salt and add more if required.
- Adjust the gravy consistency by adding more water if needed. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
RUSTIC YUMMY FLAVOURFUL
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