Sunday Special – Pathradyanchi Kadi (Mutton/Chicken Gravy for Pathrades)

Pathrade Curry with Mutton (Pathradyanchi Kadi)

You Need:

• 1 kg mutton – cut into medium size pieces and cooked with a little salt till tender (takes about 20mins in a pressure cooker if you get tender mutton) OR Chicken 1 kg (can be cooked in the gravy – no need of precooking if the chicken is tender)
• 2 large pathrades (cut into about 18-20 pieces of 1 inch width). (Click here to see how it’s made)

For the gravy :

Condiments to be roasted separately & then ground together:

• 5-6 long red chillies (I used Bedgi)
• 5 peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (jeera)
• 3 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 2 small onions roughly sliced (or 1 large)

Grind the above condiments and the below 2 ingredients with a little water or thin coconut milk

• 1 marble size ball of tamarind
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

You also need:

• Thick & thin roce of 1 coconut OR coconut milk made out of 6 tbsps of coconut milk powder dissolved in 2 cups tepid water – abt 450ml  – This makes about 550-600ml of thick coconut milk.
• 1 medium size onion finely sliced (for frying)
• 1/2 onion for tempering (optional)
• Oil for frying
• Salt to taste

Tip:
If you are using a mixer grinder, use the dry grinding jar (the smallest among all jars meant for grinding powders) to grind all the dry items (jeera, dry chillies, coriander, peppercorns, turmeric, mustard) to a fine powder and then add the tamarind, coconut & onions – this ensures that your masala is ground to a nice & smooth paste

Method:
1. In a large vessel, heat some oil and then fry the sliced onion till it turns golden brown
2. Add the ground masala and fry a bit – no need to fry too much as all the ingredients have already been roasted – this process has already eliminated the raw taste/smell if any
3. Add the masala water from the mixie (not more than 1/2 -3/4th cup) and bring it to a boil.
4. Add the coconut milk & boil for 1 minute.
5. Add the mutton pieces and its stock (about 2 cups). By now your gravy is a thin pale yellow colour. Check salt & tamarind and add more if required – ensure you dont add too much salt as the mutton was cooked with salt
6. Bring it to a boil & add the pathrade pieces and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Turn off flame & in another small pan fry the 1/2 onion in some oil and when it turns golden brown add it to the gravy. This is optional
7. Serve hot!