Mutton Sukka Recipe

Mutton Sukka Recipe is a popular Chettinad mutton recipe made with coconut oil, whole spices, onions, tomatoes, spices and coconut cooked until it is dry and thick like a masala. This mutton sukka is also known as mutton chukka which is a dry and spicy masala coated mutton preparation just like my mutton roast. In this blog post, I have shared two version of making mutton sukka with step by step pictures and enjoy with some parotta.

Mutton Sukka (Chukka Recipe)

Mutton sukka is one of our family favorite. I make them quite often and everyone in the family loves it. For me a proper mutton sukka should have a thick spicy masala coating on top which is achieved by the addition of roasted gram dal powder or coconut paste. I have shared both version in this blog post. For more mutton recipes, check these mutton thoran, mutton kuzhambu, chettinaad style gravy and mutton masala.

About Mutton Sukka | Mutton Chukka Recipe

Mutton chukka is probably the most famous recipe around the world. It is one of the popular recipe made using mutton or lamb. "Sukka or chukka" means "dry curry". It is seriously addicting side dish for parotta or roti. We love to have it with rasam rice.

Mutton sukka preparation starts with a marination of mutton to make it flavourful. Since mutton takes longer time to cook, you have to cook mutton separately with spices and masala. I like to use my pressure cooker for cooking mutton. Depending on the tenderness of the cut of lamb used, the cooking time might vary.

Once the mutton is cooked, there will be some cooking liquid left in the pressure cooker. For creating the sukka part, you have to dry the cooking liquid and make the dish dry. I like to use roasted gram dal powder which is added in the mutton to make it dry. Sometimes I use a special coconut masala and cook till the mutton gets dry.

This spicy Mutton sukka is best served with rice, roti, pulao or biryani. Check my mutton roast.

Mutton Sukka Ingredients

Mutton - use tender cuts of lamb or mutton for this dish. I prefer to use boneless mutton and some with bones-in. Pressure cook mutton separately with spices and ground masala till it is cooked. usually mutton takes 5 to 6 whistle in pressure cooker to get cooked.

Onion - sliced onions is used for tempering in the end. Peeled shallots is used for grinding the masala.

Ginger & Garlic - lots of ginger garlic is used in the marination. You can use whole peeled and crushed garlic when tempering curry leaves.

Chillies - I used dry red chillies and red chilli powder for making the marination.

Curry leaves - use a handful of curry leaves for tempering. it adds so much flavour.

Spices - spices like fennel seeds is used for grinding.

Roasted Gram Dal - I like to use a sprinkle of powdered roasted gram dal in the end to create the dry sukka texture.

How to Make Mutton Sukka (2 Recipes & 2 Method)

Mutton Sukka (Simple)

• Grind fresh masala of chillies, fennel, ginger, garlic, shallots, garam masala powder to a smooth paste. Add to mutton along with salt, turmeric, lemon juice and marinate.
• Take it in pressure cooker rand cook for 5 whistle.
• Temper curry leaves, sliced onions in coconut oil, add in the cooked mutton and any liquid. Add in roasted gram dal powder and roast for 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves, pepper powder and lemon juice. Serve hot.

Mutton Sukka (Chettinad)

• marinate mutton with spices, ginger garlic paste and salt.
• In pressure cooker, temper with fennel, cinnamon, onions, chillies, curry leaves, tomatoes. Add in marinated mutton and pressure cook for 5 whistle.
• Grind coconut with poppy seeds and fennel seeds.
• Heat oil, add in onions, curry leaves, green chillies, tomatoes. Add in cooked mutton and ground coconut masala.
• Cook on high for 10 minutes till mutton sukka dries up. Add coriander leaves and serve.

How to Make Mutton Sukka (Stepwise Pictures)

Grinding masala for mutton sukka

1)Take fennel seeds in a blender. Add in ginger, garlic and peeled shallots. You can use 10 cloves of garlic and 2 inch piece peeled ginger. I added ginger paste and garlic paste since I had those on hands.

2)Add in kashmiri red chillies and red chilli powder. Kashmiri chillies are for colour.

3)Add in garam masala powder and grind this into a smooth puree.

Marinating Mutton

4)Take mutton in a bowl. I like to use a mixture of boneless mutton pieces and mutton with bone for flavour. Add in a touch of turmeric powder.

5)Add in salt, lemon juice and mix well till it is combined.

6)Now add in the ground chilli masala paste and mix well. You can allow this to marinate for few hours before cooking. But I cooked it straight away.

Cooking Mutton

7)Take the marinated mutton in a pressure cooker, add a splash of water. Don't add too much water else the mutton will give out lots of water.

Pressure cook mutton for 5 to 6 whistle. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release by itself.

8)Once the pressure is released. Open the pressure cooker and check whether the mutton is cooked or not. if it is not cooked, you can cover the cooker again and cook for few more whistle. For cooking mutton in Instant pot check notes.

Making Mutton Sukka

9)Heat coconut oil in a large kadai. Add in curry leaves. Add in the cooked mutton with all the cooking liquid. You are going to cook this on high heat till all the moisture dries up. it will take around 10 to 15 minutes.

Pro tip: Use a large flat pan for this process which makes the cooking easier & faster. Along with curry leaves you can add some sliced onions for flavour.

10)Once the mutton has dried mostly. I like to sprinkle some roasted gram dal powder for absorbing the extra liquid and making sukka drier.

Once roasted gram dal is added, saute them on high heat till it is well roasted. it will take around 10 minutes.

11)Now the mutton sukka is well cooked and dried. At this point, add in lemon juice, black pepper powder and coriander leaves. Mix well.

12)Serve hot with rice.

Chettinad Mutton Sukka (with coconut )

This is a more lengthy authentic mutton sukka preparation from chettinad region. It uses onions, tomatoes, freshly ground coconut poppy seeds paste to make the sukka.

The process includes few lengthy steps which is totally worth it. I have shared detailed recipe below and in the recipe card as well. But here is how it is done.

• marinate mutton with spices, ginger garlic paste and salt.
• In pressure cooker, temper with fennel, cinnamon, onions, chillies, curry leaves, tomatoes. Add in marinated mutton and pressure cook for 5 whistle.
• Grind coconut with poppy seeds and fennel seeds.
• Heat oil, add in onions, curry leaves, green chillies, tomatoes. Add in cooked mutton and ground coconut masala.
• Cook on high for 10 minutes till mutton sukka dries up. Add coriander leaves and serve.

Ingredients Used

For Marinating Mutton

• ½ kg Mutton
• 1 tblspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Pepper powder
• Salt to taste

For Cooking Mutton

• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 large Onion sliced
• 4 Tomatoes chopped finely
• 1 Green Chilli
• 1 sprig Curry leaves

Marinating Mutton & Cooking Mutton in Pressure Cooker

Marinate the ingredients given in the list for at least 30 mins. Take a pressure cooker. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Add in onions, green chilli, curry leaves and the marinated mutton pieces. Pour a cup of water in and mix well. Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 4 whistle and simmer for 10 mins. Switch off the flame and let the pressure go all by itself.

Grinding | For Masala

• ½ cup Coconut
• 2 tbsp Poppy Seeds
• 1 tbsp Fennel Seeds

Making Mutton Sukka

• 3 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
• 1 piece Cinnamon
• 1 Onion Sliced
• 1 Tomato chopped
• 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 2 slit Green Chilli
• Coriander leaves

Cooking Mutton Sukka

Grind coconut, fennel seeds and poppy seeds to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Now heat a kadai on high heat. Add coconut oil in it. Add fennel and cinnamon and let it crackle. In goes onions, curry leaves, green chilli and ginger garlic paste. Saute it for a min. Add in Tomatoes and cook till mushy. It will take around 5 mins.

Now add the cooked mutton pieces along with any water. Mix well on high heat. Add the ground coconut masala as well and mix on high heat. Keep stirring till the gravy gets thick and the masala coats on all the mutton pieces. Add a handful of coriander leaves and toss well. Switch off the flame and serve.

Expert Tips

1. Make sure you use coconut oil for cooking mutton sukka for better flavour.
2. Depending on how tender the mutton is, the cooking time will vary.
3. Add lots of curry leaves for taste and aroma.
4. You can use sliced shallots instead of onions.

Instant Pot Mutton Sukka

Marinating Mutton & Cooking Mutton in Instant Pot

Marinate the ingredients given in the list for at least 30 mins.

Set instant pot to saute mode. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Add in onions, green chilli, curry leaves and the marinated mutton pieces. Pour a cup of water in and mix well. Cover the instant pot and set pressure cook mode for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release by itself. Open the instant pot and Remove the mutton from instant pot to a separate bowl. 

Cooking Mutton Sukka in Instant pot

Grind coconut, fennel seeds and poppy seeds to a smooth paste. Set aside. 

Set instant pot to saute mode. Add coconut oil in it. Add fennel and cinnamon and let it crackle. In goes onions, curry leaves, green chilli and ginger garlic paste. Saute it for a min. Add in Tomatoes and cook till mushy. It will take around 5 mins.

Now add the cooked mutton pieces along with any water. Add the ground coconut masala as well and mix. Keep stirring till the gravy gets thick and the masala coats on all the mutton pieces. Add a handful of coriander leaves and toss well. Remove from instant pot and serve. 

More Mutton Recipes to Try

📖 Recipe Card

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