Yakhni Pathan

Ingredients

500g mutton

1/2 cup oil

Salt

Water

3 large onions, chopped fine

20 cloves garlic, peeled

2-3 dry red chillies, whole, stems intact

Bouquet garni (tied loosely in a square of muslin)

2 tbsp whole coriander

1 tsp saunf

Method:

In pressure cooker, sauté mutton in hot oil until colour changes. Add salt and enough water – about 2 ladles – to submerge bouquet garni. Place bouquet garni in cooker and pressure cook until almost done (about 10 minutes of simmering on low heat after the full pressure whistle.)

When pressure drops, open lid, squeeze and remove bouquet garni. Remove chillies, pound, strain out seeds and plastic-like outer skin. Return clean red pulp to curry.

Simmer, mashing any visible bits of onion or garlic with the back of a ladle against sides of pan. The aim is to get smooth, thick gravy. Cook, uncovered, only till excess moisture evaporates; the onions etc shouldn't “brown”. Then add a couple of spoons of water and simmer, covered, to get “roghan”, the oily red film, on top.