Today, I am happy to bring you a spicy Rajasthani recipe that Rajasthani people cannot do without and it is referred to as Laal Maas, Ratto Maans, or Laal Maans. Just as the title suggests, there are three core components in the recipe that sets it on a different level: mutton, Kashmiri red chili, and ghee. Besides these, blended spices colour the dish Laal Maas bright red and it comes topped with a layer of ghee. For this recipe, I have used bone in mutton but one could easily use boneless mutton if they so wished. The end product is one of great graphic appeal and rather appetizing.

 

HISTORY OF LAAL MAAS

A few hundred years ago kings would go out for hunting expeditions and their targets would typically be deer, wild boar, rabbits from the forest. They would then eat their fill on the caught fish, which would be well spiced and well grilled. But when the same types of flavours became boring to them, they asked their royal cooks to try something new. To this, these culinary masters brought new colours in form of spices such as the Kashmiri red chili powder alongside the more traditional spices such as coriander, yogurt, and whole spices. This produced a red and spicy dish, which was called Laal Maas, also known as ‘Junglee Maas’, due to the wild pheasant’s origin.

I have cooked mutton several of times, right from simple mutton rogan josh to simple mutton curry to the rich mutton korma. Despite that Laal Maas is not my most favorite dish but it has a special place in my heart. Along with the fact that its taste is deep and rather spicy, I can say that its history makes it a favorite of mine and many, many others. In addition to being tasty, it is also very simple to prepare—a real treasure in the list of mutton dishes.

Now let’s talk about the ingredients, which is needed for this recipe.

 

INGREDIENTS FOR LAAL MAAS

FOR CURRY

• 1 Kg Mutton
• 10-12 Dried Kashmiri red chillies
• 4 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 cups of sliced onion
• 1 cup of yogurt
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons red chilli powder
• 4 finely chopped green chillies
• Salt to taste

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WHOLE SPICES

• 4-5 Cloves
• 4 cardamom
• 4-6 black peppercorn
• 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 2-3 bay leaves
• Coriander leaves for garnish

 

HOW TO MAKE LAAL MAAS

PREPARATION

Laal maas is very easy to make, just like you cook the regular mutton curry at your home. So, let me tell you how to make Laal maas in Rajasthani style at home.

For the chili paste: Soak the dried chilies in warm water for 10 minutes. Then make fine paste in a blender with little water and keep aside.

Marinate the Mutton: Wash the Mutton and keep aside. Then take a large bowl to marinate the mutton with some ingredients like 1 cup of yogurt, 4 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, 2 tablespoon mustard oil, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, Kashmiri red chili paste and salt as per taste, mix well and keep aside for 2 hours.

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COOK THE LAAL MAAS IN EASY STEPS

• Heat mustard oil in a pressure cooker.
• Once the oil turns hot, Add crushed whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves and black peppercorns.
• Then add in sliced onion and 9-10 peeled garlic cloves, saute till they turn brown colour.
• Now it’s time to add the marinated mutton, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
• Then add enough water to cook the mutton, cover the pressure cooker and let it cook until the mutton is cooked properly.
• To make the mutton tender and soft, you can use 4-5 whistle.
• Once mutton proper cooked, turn off the flame. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid from the pressure cooker.

 

 

HOW TO SMOKE THE LAAL MAAS

Take a piece of hot charcoal and 4-5 cloves in a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon ghee and place it in the middle of the pressure cooker, keep aside for 2 minutes. Then remove the bowl from cooker. Then add garam masala and ghee. Transfer the mutton in a serving bowl and garnish wit some coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan, paratha or steamed rice.

NOTES

• Basically, the traditional laal maas recipe is made with Mathania chilli which is available in the Mathania village of Rajasthan. But as I don’t get the mathania chilli nearby my place, that why I used kashmiri red chili to make this recipe extreme spicy.
• To make this recipe do not use coriander powder and tomato.
• In that recipe do not use sugar.
• Don’t forget to add ghee when the mutton proper cooked for fragrance.
• For this recipe you need to use mustard oil, don’t use the refined oil.

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