Mutton Salna Recipe

Mutton Salna is a spicy and aromatic gravy that pairs beautifully with parotta or rice. It has a rich flavor from the mix of spices, coconut, and mutton. Each bite has bold, comforting flavors that make this dish so satisfying. Whether it's for a weekend meal or a festive spread, Mutton Salna never fails to impress. The juicy pieces of mutton soak up the masala gravy and make every bite tender and flavorful. Learn to make tasty Mutton Salna with step by step pictures.

This recipe is made with simple ingredients. It doesn't need any special preparation-just a few steps and a pressure cooker. Once you get the hang of the spice blend, this dish becomes an easy go-to for special meals. The consistency is slightly thin, just how a traditional salna should be. A bowl of this mutton salna with biryani or hot parotta is truly comforting food at its best.

Jump to:

• About Mutton Salna
• Mutton Salna Ingredients
• How to make Mutton Salna Step by Step
• Expert Tips
• Serving and Storage
• FAQS
• 📖 Recipe Card

About Mutton Salna

Mutton Salna is a popular South Indian side dish made by pressure-cooking mutton with spices and a fresh coconut-based paste. This dish stands out with the combination of toor dal, whole spices, and coconut, which gives it a unique texture and taste. The addition of kalpasi, a traditional Chettinad spice, adds depth to the flavor.

This salna is not made with cream or rich ingredients, but it still tastes very flavorful. The toor dal makes the gravy smooth and thick. The mutton becomes soft and juicy as it cooks with all the spices, soaking in their flavors. You can easily customize the dish by adjusting the spice level to suit your taste preference.

I've already posted a vegetable salna, now this mutton salna recipe is from my aunt, she made this when she had visited us long back so asked her for the recipe to try and post here. As its Bakrid tomorrow, I wanted to post this easy mutton salna which I made for todays lunch - so this is hot from my kitchen. We had it with mutton biryani and mutton chops and I've reserved the leftover mutton salna for tonight's dinner as side dish for chapati.

The aroma that fills the kitchen while it's cooking is a reason enough to make it often. You can serve this salna with many dishes like chapathi, dosa, or plain rice. It's easy to make and gets tastier as it rests. Once you try it, you'll want to make it again whenever you're craving a flavorful homemade curry.

Mutton Salna Ingredients

• Cooking oil - Used for tempering the spices. You can either use groundnut oil or gingerly oil for authentic taste.
• Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf - These whole spices create a strong, flavorful base. They infuse the oil and add deep aroma to the dish.
• Kalpasi (stone flower) - This traditional Chettinad spice gives a unique earthy aroma. Optional, but highly recommended for this recipe.
• Onion - Adds a subtle sweetness and forms the base for the gravy. Use finely chopped for even cooking.
• Ginger garlic paste - Adds warmth and depth of flavor. It enhances the overall taste and aroma of the dish.
• Tomato - Gives mild tanginess and helps balance the richness of the spices. It softens quickly and blends into the masala.
• Curry leaves - Add a distinct aroma and boost the flavor of the base masala. They blend well with the spices and give a nice South Indian touch to the gravy.
• Turmeric, red chilli, and coriander powder - Turmeric adds an earthy flavor and golden color, red chilli gives heat and brightness, and coriander adds mild thickness and ties the spices together.
• Mutton with bones - This is the key ingredient. Bone-in pieces are preferred as they release more flavor and make the gravy flavorful.
• Toor dal - Adds richness to the gravy, helps it thicken, blends well, and gives a smooth finish when cooked until soft.
• Water - Needed for pressure cooking and to get the desired runny consistency. Add gradually as needed.
• Coconut - Adds creaminess and helps control the heat. Gives the gravy a nice nutty finish when ground and added.
• Fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and peppercorns - These spices are used for the coconut paste. Fennel adds a mild sweetness and nice smell, cumin gives a slight bitterness to balance the flavors, and pepper adds gentle heat and depth to the masala.
• Coriander leaves - Use fresh coriander leaves. It is used for garnish to add a fresh, bright flavor.

Similar Recipes

• Chicken curry
• Chicken chettinad
• Chicken gravy
• Pepper chicken
• Chicken kurma

Why This Recipe Works

• This is a quick and easy recipe with simple steps.
• This recipe uses everyday pantry ingredients, no fancy prep needed.
• It has bold, spicy flavor with rich South Indian taste.
• The combo of mutton, dal, and coconut gives a unique texture.
• It's easily customizable. You can adjust spice levels according to your taste.
• It pairs well with parotta, biryani, rice, or chapathi.
• Tastes even better as it rests, making it great for make-ahead too.

How to make Mutton Salna Step by Step

1.First add the ingredients listed under 'to grind' to a mixer and grind it with little water to a smooth paste, Set aside. Heat oil in a pressure cooker - add the ingredients listed under 'to temper' and let it crackle.

2.Then add onion, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes until tomatoes raw smell leaves. Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and required salt. Sauté well till the masalas are nicely fried and blended.

3.Rinse toor dal and keep it ready. Then add mutton, saute for 2 minutes, once the texture of mutton and color changes add the dal.

4.Add required water till immersing level and pressure cook for 8 whistles or until mutton is cooked soft. Once pressure releases, open the cooker and let the gravy boil for 2 minutes. Then add coconut paste.

5.Let the gravy boil until oil separates. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and switch it off.

Serve it with biryani / parotta - yum!

Expert Tips

• Coconut paste - Grind coconut with just enough water to get a smooth paste. This ensures it blends well with the gravy without separating.
• Tempering spices - Allow the whole spices to sizzle well in oil to release their full aroma. This creates a strong flavor base.
• Dal - Rinse toor dal well before adding. It should become completely soft and blend into the gravy after pressure cooking.
• Mutton pieces - Use bone-in pieces for maximum flavor. Avoid large chunks, and medium-sized pieces work best.
• Cooking time - The number of whistles may vary based on mutton tenderness. Pressure cook until soft and easy to tear.
• Water quantity - Keep the gravy runny, not thick. Add water accordingly during pressure cooking to get the perfect consistency.
• Spice level - Adjust chili and pepper based on your heat preference. You can also add a green chili for an extra kick.

Serving and Storage

Mutton Salna pairs best with parotta or biryani, but it also goes well with chapathi, idli, dosa, or plain rice.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat well before serving.

FAQS

1.Can I skip toor dal in this recipe?

Toor dal helps give the gravy a nice body, but you can skip it if you prefer a thinner, clear salna.

2.What if I don't have kalpasi?

You can skip kalpasi if it's not available. The salna will still taste delicious without it but the authentic flavor will be missing.

3.Can I use boneless mutton?

Yes, but bone-in pieces give better flavor and richness to the gravy.

4.How many whistles should I give for mutton?

It depends on the meat's tenderness. Generally, 8-10 whistles work for most varieties.

5.Can I use a ready-made masala instead of whole spices?

Whole spices are preferred for authentic flavor. Ready-made masalas may alter the traditional taste.

6.How do I make the gravy thicker or thinner?

Adjust the water quantity as needed. More water or coconut milk makes the salna runnier, less makes it thicker.

If you have any more questions about this Mutton Salna Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .

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