Mutton Pasanda

Name: Mutton Pasanda
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: mughlai
Ingredients: 500 g mutton (boneless, thinly sliced or pounded flat); 0.75 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 2 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 3 pcs green cardamom (lightly crushed); 4 pcs cloves; 1 inch cinnamon (stick); 1 pcs bay leaf; 1 tsp coriander powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 1 pinch black pepper (freshly ground); 0.5 tsp salt; 12 pcs cashews (soaked 15 minutes and ground to a paste); 1 cup water (for gravy); 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped, for garnish); 1 tbsp lemon juice (for the marinade)

RATING

4.4/5(78)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

Thin slices of mutton are gently marinated, seared, and simmered in a rich onion-yogurt gravy with warm spices. This Mughlai classic is silky, aromatic, and perfect with naan or a small portion of rice.

PREP

25m

COOK

65m

SERVES

1 KATORI

492 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~20 min
Prep the mutton and marinade.
1.Pat the mutton dry and slice it thin if needed.
2.Mix the mutton with 0.5 cup yogurt, lemon juice, half the ginger-garlic paste, 0.25 tsp salt, red chili powder, and turmeric powder.
3.Coat well and set aside for 20 minutes.
TIPThin, even slices cook more gently and stay tender in the gravy.
prep · ~3 min
Make the cashew paste.
Grind the soaked cashews with 2 tbsp water to a smooth paste and keep it ready.
saute · ~6 min
Brown the mutton lightly.
1.Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a wide pan over medium heat.
2.Add the marinated mutton in a single layer as much as possible.
3.Cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4.Remove the mutton to a plate.
TIPDo not crowd the pan or the mutton will steam instead of getting light color.
temper · ~1 min
Cook the whole spices in ghee.
1.Add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee to the same pan.
2.Add cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf.
3.Let them sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
saute · ~11 min
Cook the onions and ginger-garlic paste.
1.Add the sliced onion and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
2.Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute.
3.Sprinkle in coriander powder and stir for a few seconds.
TIPKeep the heat at medium so the onions turn evenly golden without burning.
mix · ~3 min
Stir in the yogurt and cashew paste.
1.Lower the heat.
2.Add the remaining 0.25 cup yogurt and stir continuously so it does not split.
3.Add the cashew paste and mix until the gravy looks smooth.
simmer · ~40 min
Simmer the pasanda until tender.
1.Return the browned mutton to the pan.
2.Add water, the remaining 0.25 tsp salt, black pepper, and mix well.
3.Cover and cook on low heat until the mutton is tender and the gravy thickens, 35 to 40 minutes.
4.Stir once or twice during cooking so the gravy does not catch at the bottom.
TIPAdd a splash of water only if the gravy gets too thick before the mutton turns tender.
garnish · ~1 min
Finish with garam masala and cilantro.
Discard the bay leaf, sprinkle in garam masala, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
serve
Serve the mutton pasanda hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Pound thicker mutton pieces to an even thickness so they sear quickly and stay tender in the final simmer.
2
Brown the marinated mutton in batches; if the pan is crowded, the yogurt marinade will release water and prevent light caramelization.
3
Let the onions turn truly golden, not just soft, because they give the gravy its color, sweetness, and depth.
4
Keep the heat low when adding the yogurt and stir constantly to prevent splitting in the onion-spice base.
5
Grind the soaked cashews very smooth so the pasanda gets a silky Mughlai texture instead of a grainy gravy.
6
Simmer gently rather than boiling hard; thin mutton slices can toughen if cooked aggressively.
7
This curry tastes even better after a few hours of rest, once the whole spices and browned onion flavors settle into the gravy.