𝑹𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒊 𝑳𝒂𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒂𝒂𝒔 - 𝑺𝒚𝒎𝒃𝒐𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆

Isn't it enthralling to know how a dish can be discovered by connecting geographic and historic dots. I believe Laas Maas is one such dish. Typically hot and rich Rajasthani meat delecacy which is an epitome of game meat food, remains untouched by influences from foriegn trade and powers except that the open fire cooking was a gift from pathan invasion in 11th century. Even if Mewar khansamas were oblivious to open fore cooking, I am sure they would have invented it to please the Maharaja -afterall that's how Laal Maas was born. Rajasthan being a semi-fertile land and a various community based region, cooking something out of miniscule amount of ingredients was a valour even the Khansamas of Mewar were born with. So the real task appeared when there was feast of game meat. Now let me connect this to an anecdote. It was considered an ill omen for the hunter/king to see the blood of the animal or to catch a whiff of its blood. Hence the best Khansamas would accompany him and would send the hunt loaded on horses to the kitchen. So when the nobles arrive they would smell just the aroma of spices. Sometimes the game meat was supposedly to be cooked in the jungle itself after the hunt. 

The game meat was either wild boar or deer hence chillies were used to veil the odour of the game meat. Here Mathania chillies comes in the picture. A town in Jodhpur is Mathania, the fiery heart of the Thar dessert. It finds itself in the symbolic produce of Mathania mirch, the liberal use of which reflects the stoic temparament of Rajputs. It is also said that Laal maas didn't attain popularity after the Maharaja was satisfied, infact it was  when the Khansamas of Mewar won the competition in which Laal maas was prepared. Till today the dish is remained with the menfolk of mewar and is privy to their kitchen. Perhaps that was the reason why women were not allowed to cook or serve Laas Maas.

Ingredients :

500g mutton

250g butter milk

1cup yogurt

2cups mathania mirch (You can substitute Kashmiri Laal Mirch if mathania mirch not found)

4 tablespoons ghee

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 inch cinnamon stick

1 whole bayleaf

1 while mace/ javithri

1 star anise

4 pods of green cardamom

6 onions, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons if ginger-garlic paste

1tablespoon of coriander powder

1 tablespoom of cumin powder

2 inches of ginger, julienned to garnish

Method :

Marinate mutton in buttermilk for 3 hours. 

Boil Mathania mirch (deseeded) for 15-20 minutes, drain the water, cool and blitz to form paste.

Take a pressure cooker or an open vessel ( if slow cooking preferred) and heat 4tbsps of ghee, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, mace, star anise, green cardamom. Sauté till fragrant. Now add sliced onions and cook till translucent. 

Follow by adding 2tbsps of ginger garlic paste. Now add mutton, roast it for 5-10 minutes till the edges turn brown. Add coriander powder and cumin powder, mix well. 

Meanwhile add the chilli paste and combine it evenly. Roast the mutton in chilly paste for about 5 minutes. At this point, lower the flame and add yogurt. Combine immediately. Close the lid of pressure cooker and it takes 4-5 whistles approx for the mutton to cook on high flame. If open vessel then close the lid and keep checking the mutton and stirring every half an hour till 'fall off the bone' point on medium flame.

You can adjust the consistency of the gravy according to your preference. Serve with whole wheat roti/chapati or Bajra roti. 

Happy cooking♥️🌾