Mutton cabbage stew

This was one of my favorite things to eat, when I did eat mutton. I love the flavors in a mutton curry with the tender pieces of mutton falling off the bone. For this dish you do need some meat on the bone, it’s where you get the best flavors. My mum always used the ribs together with other pieces.
How to cook mutton and Cabbage stew
Like all stew you start with a base of oil and onion. In this instance I added some whole spice. You then cook out your ginger and garlic paste.This way you are guaranteed to have the flavors infuse into the meat. Only once it has cooked with the spices for a few minutes you then add your tomatoes.
Garam Masala is also a blend of spices, minus the chilli powder. It is a warming spice that’s usually added at the end of cooking, for that extra burst of flavor.
Sometimes I don’t care if I have curry leaf in my fridge or not. But this is one time I don’t make the exception. I think any good mutton stew needs the curry leaf.If you do not have masala you can increase the amount of chilli powder and add a teaspoon of cumin and coriander to your curry.

INGREDIENTS

700 gram mutton
4 cups chopped cabbage
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaf
1 star aniseed
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
2 sprigs curry leaf
3tomatoes
2 tbsp garam masala
2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground fennel
salt

HOW TO COOK MUTTON CABBAGE STEW

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and star aniseed to the oil and fry until fragrant.Add the onion and saute until golden brown. Add the curry leaf and ginger/garlic paste and saute for a minute
chilli powder, turmeric, fennel and garam masala. Cook the spices for 2 minutes, add a few drops of water if required.Add the mutton and allow it to cook with the spices for 5 minutes, on low heat. Do not cover the pot.Add the tomatoes, season with salt. Cover and simmer for an hour or until the mutton is tender. If the mutton needs further cooking add another quarter cup of water and cook further.Add the cabbage and cook for about 10-15 minutes.Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice or roti.