Mutton curry - an authentic South London recipe!

Ok, it’s my recipe and I’m from South London. That’s authentic!

Mutton curry is, without doubt, one of the finest dishes on the planet. Whether we’re talking Caribbean, Kashmiri or indeed Penge.

The secret for me is in the time you take to make the curry rather than the precise contents. And it takes a long time – nearly as long as it take to make a good oxtail stew!

You start – as one does – with a couple of pounds of mutton on the bone (I get it hacked up by the halal butcher), some onions and some garlic. And mix them all together with enough curry power, salt, ground ginger and cumin to coat all the mutton – add some oil so it all stays stuck and marinades well. I sometimes add a dash or three of vinegar (if I remember).

Leave to stand for absolutely ages – at least 24 hours and ideally 48 hours in the fridge marinading. The mutton should look almost cooked at this point (it isn’t it just looks that way). Heat up some oil in a heavy pan or casserole and seal the meat – add some other vegetables such as celery, okra or turnip and cover with water. Bring to the boil and then put into the over – preheated to somewhere between 100 and 150 degrees. Cook for at least 4 hours – the bones should come off the meat cleanly.

Serve with plain boiled rice (or naan or chapatti – whatever takes your fancy) and a pint of lager.

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