MUTTON & CABBAGE CURRY

 

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This Indian Recipe Serves 2-3

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Mutton & Cabbage Curry is a very popular dish in South Africa. It is basically Mutton Curry cooked with cabbage.

I grew up eating this dish which my late grandmother loved cooking for us. It was also a sneaky way to get the kids to eat their veggies. I absolutely love it & my mum actually thought me how to make this dish, however, along the way I changed it up a bit by searing the meat in the spices & blending my tomatoes which just speeds up the cooking process.

South Africans of Indian descent, particularly those with south Indian roots, have a rich history of mutton & cabbage curry, starting with the initially contracted Indians touching base in South Africa, the ladies offered the hearth & home & planted vegetable, cabbage being a staple, which they cooked without meat then, & presented with their month to month proportions of either rice or home made cooked roti. Vegetable was the nourishment of choice because of the moderateness & lamb or mutton was acquainted predominantly due with the subsistence way of their cultivating.

 

Mutton & Cabbage Curry Ingredients:

• 1 kg Mutton or Lamb pieces
• ¼ green cabbage
• 1 onion
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 tomato
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• few sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel (soomph) seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star aniseed
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) powder
• 2 teaspoons coriander (dhania) powder
• ½ teaspoon cardamom (elachi) powder
• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon red chili flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons ginger & garlic paste
• salt to taste
• fresh dhania (coriander) for garnishing

Method:

1. Firstly, bring out the cabbage. We have always used the green cabbage but if preferred you can use purple cabbage, they taste the same although the purple cabbage can be a tinge sweeter & cooks a lot faster that the green.
2. 
3. We will only need a ¼ of the cabbage so purchasing the smaller ones is great if you don’t intend on using the remaining cabbage. Slice the cabbage, rinse & place into a bowl.
4. 
5. Cover cabbage with boiling water & set aside. This will kill the gas in the cabbage.
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7. Next, rinse & cut the meat (mutton/lamb) into cubes.
8. 
9. Peel & chop the onion.
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11. Rinse & slit the green chilies.
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13. Blend or grate tomatoes. It may be chopped as well but I find blending them allows them to cook quicker & produces more gravy.
14. 
15. On medium-high heat, add vegetable oil to a pot. Add in the onions, green chilies & thyme.
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17. Thereafter, add in the cumin (jeera) seeds, fennel (soomph) seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick & star aniseed.
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19. Mix & allow to sauté on until onions are translucent.
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21. Once the onions are translucent, add turmeric powder, garam masala, cumin (jeera) powder, coriander (dhania) powder, cardamom (elachi) powder, red chili flakes, chili powder & the ginger & garlic paste.
22. 
23. Mix well.
24. 
25. Add in the meat (mutton/lamb) & salt to taste.
26. 
27. Mix well, coating the meat in the spices.
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29. Cover & allow to braise for 10 minutes. This will allow the meat to seal in the spices.
30. 
31. After 10 minutes, give it a quick stir.
32. 
33. Add in the blended or grated tomatoes & curry leaves. I used to always remove the stem from the curry leaves until my mum told me not to as it contains most of the flavour as well – so it’s up to you however you add it into your curry.
34. 
35. Thereafter, add in the cabbage – discard of the water it had been resting in.
36. 
37. Mix until everything is combined.
38. 
39. Pour in a little water, cover & allow to cook for about 25 minutes or until the cabbage is soft & the meat is cooked throughout.
40. 
41. Once the cabbage is soft & the meat is cooked, give it a stir.
42. 
43. Turn off the heat.
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45. Plate & garnish with fresh coriander (dhania).
46. 
47. Serve whilst hot.
48. 
49. Best served with soft white bread, rice, roti or naan.
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