Laal Maas- Rajasthani Red Mutton Curry

Ingredients - Serves 2-3

3 tbsp mustard oil
4 cloves
1 black cardamom (buy online here) 
1 bay leaf
1 cup sliced onion
1.5 lb mutton (cut into 1" pieces)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1" ginger shoot, minced
10-12 whole dry kashmiri chillies (see notes)
1/2 tsp red chili powder (or cayenne)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup thick curd/plain yogurt
1/2 cup water
salt to taste
1.5 tbsp ghee
2 garlic cloves, grated
cilantro to garnish

Notes

The dish can be made a hot as or not as you want. If you use store bought kash miri chill powder, the taste is mild but its lends a beautiful color.
So the dish will come out less hot.
If you powder whole dried kashmiri chillies like I do, the fresh ground chilies are hot and bring in the beautiful red color too! 

Method

In a heavy bottomed pot with lid, heat mustard oil till it smokes and immediately turn off the heat. 
Wait for about a minute or so to let it cool to medium hot. Return to the stove and  add the cloves, black cardamom and bay leaf. 
Wait for them to crackle.

Add the sliced onion to the pot and cook on medium till they turn brown. 
Once the onions have browned, add the mutton pieces,kashmiri chili,red chili & turmeric powder to the pot and sauté uncovered for about 20 minutes till you 
see the sides of mutton getting brown.

Add the minced ginger and garlic to the pot next and sauté for another 5-8 minutes. 
Next, reduce the heat to low, wait for 2 mins and add the yogurt to the pot. 
Also add the salt and slowly stir around so that the yogurt combines with spices and coats the mutton pieces. Saute uncovered for another 2 mins.

Add the water, ghee and grated garlic to the pot next and increase the flame to medium, cover the pot and cook till the mutton is done. 
It took me about 40 minutes for the meat to be thoroughly cooked.
If you intend to use a slow cooker, adjust the cooking time, for pressure cooker, it might take 3-4 whistles for cooking through.

Let the curry rest for about 3-4 hours before serving.

Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with flatbreads or steamed rice.