MUTTON/CHICKEN PEPPER WATER

• ‘Pepper Water’ is the English term for ‘Rasam’ .This is a fusion cuisine of the west and the east.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 kg mutton/chicken
• 2-3 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 onion sliced
• ½ onion chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds (dry roasted)
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds (dry roasted)
• 4 dry red chilies/cayenne(dry roasted)
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp tamarind pureed
• 3 tomatoes , sliced/ pureed
• salt to taste
• a bunch fresh cilantro greens for garnishing
METHOD OF PREPARATION
• Place the mutton in a pressure cooker with 8 cups of water, add some fresh curry leaves, onion chopped and salt, cook till meat is tender and then strain the stock and place the mutton and stock in different bowls.
• Grind ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chilies to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a saucepan, splutter mustard seeds, add the sliced onions and curry leaves. Allow the onions to brown and then add the ground paste. Sauté till the spices release their aroma. Add the mutton/chicken and stir well until the masala coats on the meat. Cook for 3 minutes covering the lid.
• Add tamarind pureed tomatoes and cook till it starts simmering.
• Pour in the stock. Cover and allow simmering on slow heat for about 30 min.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with steamed rice, curd chilies and pappodoms.
• You may use beef instead of mutton/chicken.