Mutton Marag

Marag is the sort of dish that sits somewhere between a soup and a curry and refuses to be put in a box. Popular in Hyderabad and associated with the city's Muslim culinary traditions, it is essentially tender mutton swimming in a rich, aromatic broth, gently thickened with nuts and milk. There are no armies of spice powders here. Instead, whole spices, black pepper, herbs and slow-cooked mutton do most of the talking. Pour it into a bowl, throw in some torn naan and you have dinner, a spoon and a bowl doing the work of an entire thali.

Ingredients

Mutton

• 1 kg bone-in mutton, cut into medium pieces

• 3 medium onions, thinly sliced

• ½ cup ghee

• Salt, to taste

Whole spices

• 2 tbsp shahi jeera

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1 tsp kabab chini

• 5 green cardamom pods

• 2 small pieces cinnamon

• 5 cloves

Aromatics

• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

• 1 tbsp freshly crushed black pepper

• 4 green chillies, finely chopped

• 1 handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped

• 1 handful fresh mint leaves, chopped

• ½ tsp garam masala

Nut and milk slurry

• 25–30 cashews

• 25–30 almonds

• 1½ cups milk

Liquid

• 1½ litres hot water, approximately

Method

Prepare the nut slurry
Soak the cashews and almonds in hot water for 20–30 minutes.
Drain and peel the almonds.
Add the almonds and cashews to a blender along with the milk and blend into a smooth, thick paste.
Set aside.

Build the base
Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed kadai or pot over medium heat.
Add the sliced onions and cook until they begin to turn golden.
Add the shahi jeera, black peppercorns, kabab chini, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
Fry for about 30 seconds, just until the spices become fragrant.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw aroma disappears.

Cook the mutton
Add the mutton and increase the heat to medium-high.
Fry the meat, turning occasionally, until it is well coated with the onion and spice mixture and lightly seared around the edges.
Season with salt.
Add the freshly crushed black pepper and fry for another minute.

Slow-cook the meat
Add 1 litre of hot water and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the mutton is about 90% cooked.
The exact cooking time will depend on the cut and age of the meat, so use tenderness as your guide rather than the clock.

Add the nut slurry
Lower the heat and add the cashew-almond slurry.
Stir gently to incorporate it into the cooking liquid.
Cook for several minutes until the gravy begins to thicken slightly.
Don't let it become too thick. Marag is meant to be a rich, pourable broth rather than a heavy gravy.
Add the remaining 500 ml of hot water and bring the Marag back to a gentle boil.

Finish the Marag
Add the chopped coriander, mint and green chillies.
Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, or until the mutton is completely tender and the ghee begins to separate and rise to the surface.
Add the garam masala and adjust the salt.
Turn off the heat and allow the Marag to rest for about 30 minutes before serving.
This short rest allows the spices and aromatics to settle into the broth.

Serving
Marag is particularly good as a one-bowl meal.
Ladle a generous portion into a deep bowl and top with a few pieces of naan cut into rough squares. Let the bread soak up some of the rich, nutty broth while remaining slightly chewy.
Serve hot.
The ideal Marag should be rich but pourable, mildly creamy from the nuts and milk, aromatic with whole spices, and generously laden with tender mutton. The ghee should float lightly on the surface rather than being completely absorbed into a thick gravy.