Tangy Gongura Mutton

(Meat with Sorrel leaves)

Gongura/Sorrel leaves are one of my favorite things in the world. The natural tangy flavour gives lot of texture to any dish we cook. gongura is a very rich source of iron, vitamins and anti-oxidants essential for human nutrition! There are lot of varieties we make with gongura like pachadi, gongura royyalu curry, gongura pappu.

Gongura mutton is a classic combination of gongura and mutton, marinated in spices for few hours or usually overnight. Then pressure cooked to tenderize the meat and also infuse the spices and finishing it with house made garam masala and special goat curry spices.

Andhra food is incomplete without gongura mutton. I have learned from my friends that guntur produces the best and fresh quality of Gongura / Sorrel / Ambada. Farmers pick Gongura early in the mornings so that the moisture is retained for the longest possible time. There are two types of Gongura. One is red stemmed sorrel leaves and green stemmed sorrel leaves. Red leaves are a bit more sour in taste. The pungent smell of the leaves and luscious green color makes the recipe pleasing to eyes, nose and taste buds.

Though I am not a meat lover and don’t eat much, I cook for my husband who loves meat. This is my mother in laws recipe and trust me she is the best cook I know who can whip some delicacies in no time. Also she is not very particular about measurements and improvises recipes as she cooks. Because I told her I want to post it in my blog she told me very sweetly all the measurements. Show some love by commenting on the post, she will be delighted 🙂

Lets get started!

For Mutton

Mutton- 1kg
Onions- 3 diced
Green chillies – 4 slit
Curry leaves- 6-8
Tomatoes- 2 diced
Ginger- garlic paste- 2 tsp
Chilli powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Garam masala powder- 1 tsp
Few dry spices- Shahi jeera, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf
Salt- to taste

For the Gongura leaves

Gongura leaves- 1 bunch (If you like it more tangy can add some more leaves)
Green chillies- 2 slit
Garlic- 2-4 pods
Turmeric- Generous pinch
Salt- 1 tsp
Water- to boil the leaves

Marinate mutton with half of the above mentioned ingredients- gg paste, chilly powder, salt and turmeric powder.

Separate the gongura leaves from the stalks. Cook them with the rest of the ingredients mentioned above in the section for gongura leaves. Remember to add very little water just to combine all of them together. When the leaves are cooked completely let them cool for a bit and mash them.

In a pressure add oil and the dry spices. Once they start to splutter add onions and curry leaves followed by the ginger garlic paste and green chillies.

Add mutton and the remaining spice powders and let them cook for few minutes. Add tomatoes, enough water and pressure cook mutton for 3 to 4 whistles.(May need more time if the mutton is not tender)

Add the mashed leaves to the mutton once the pressure settles down and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes so that the gongura leaves get infused into the mutton curry.