It has been a rather busy week with all the cleaning and the baking that I’ve been doing. I am sure if the octopus saw me, he would be ashamed of underutilising his tentacles. I’ve just realised that this home cleaning ritual that I go through every year because of the approaching Eid has become so much a part of me that this year, even with no relatives, friends, students and neighbours who will come to visit me, I just simply HAD to do it! There is a certain sense of satisfaction at seeing things re-arranged and re-organised and removed.

That said, iftar has been a rather simple affair because I’m exhausted by the time it comes to preparing a meal . Yesterday we had puri (an Indian bread) and this tomato mutton curry with sliced tomatoes in ketchup. It may take an hour or more to boil the curry to a thick creamy consistency, but it takes only 10 minutes to prepare. And that suited me just fine. I could reorganise my kitchen, make the puri while keeping an eye on the curry.

Ingredients:
A)
400g mutton (preferably with bones)
1 onion - chopped
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp chili powder (reduce if necessary)
2 tbsp yogurt
1 small can tomato juice

B) For grinding into a smooth paste:
5 cloves of garlic
1 red chili
3cm of ginger

C) For frying:
1 cinnamon
4 cloves
4 cardamoms
5 shallots - sliced thinly
2 tbsp ghee

4 cups water

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in A.
2. Pour ingredients in B into A. Stir. Leave for half an hour.
3. In a pot, heat the ghee. Add the ingredients for frying. Fry till fragrant.
4. Add the combined A and B into the pot. Boil until fragrant. Stir.
5. Add water, bring to a boil. Lower the fire to medium and cover.
6. Continue cooking until the gravy reduces and thickens. Occasionally stir to prevent burning and sticking on the pase and sides of the pan.
7. Turn off the fire. Serve hot with rice, chapati, puri and the likes.

Tips:

• 1 small can tomato juice = 5.5oz or 163ml. I used Campbell’s as in the picture below.



• If you are afraid that the gravy will boil over, leave the cover of the pot slightly open after it has started boiling profusely with the lid closed.