Mutton Kuzhambu or Mutton Kulambu is a traditional South Indian gravy dish made with lamb or mutton, onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices. Spicy mutton kuzhambu is made authentic way with ground masala which goes well with some hot rice or some chapati. It can be had with Appam, Idiyappam and Kerala Parotta. Learn how to make perfect mutton kuzhambu with step by step pictures and video.
Mutton Kulambu
One of the most requested recipe in YUMMY TUMMY is a proper mutton kulambu. I have been getting request for that from so many viewers. Last week I made for my sister and we had an awesome lunch. I used pressure cooker to cook mutton pieces with all the spices. This made the mutton so meltingly tender. If you have got a little time, let the gravy sit for a while so that the flavours will meld together and taste even more delicious. I served it with plain rice, but this taste equally delicious with aapam, idiyappam, roti and paratha.
Table of Contents
About Mutton Kuzhambu (Kulambu)
Kuzhambu also known as kulambu is nothing but a gravy made with onions, tomatoes, spices sometimes with coconut or without coconut. It is a traditional South Indian side dish for rice. Some of the most popular non veg kuzhambu is my meen kuzhambu, chicken kuzhambu & nattu kozhi kuzhambu. Did you know that I have over 85 kuzhambu recipes on this blog.
This is my style of making mutton kuzhambu. This recipe is made nearly 9 years back, ever since I have tried version of this mutton kuzhambu. I have shared an updated version of mutton kuzhambu recipe in the video. This version is the easy and tasty recipe which I don't want to change. It is a version which is loved by many as well.
The recipe starts by marinating the mutton with a freshly ground onion tomato spice masala. Pressure cooking it and then adding it to sauted onions and chillies. I added coconut fennel seed paste to thicken the kuzhambu which turned out great. You can serve it with rice, nool parotta, Tandoori roti, idli, dosa, idiyappam or ghee rice.
More Curry Recipes
Watch Mutton Kuzhambu Video
The video below is slightly different from this recipe. The ingredients used is same, but It is an updated version of the recipe below.
Mutton Kulambu Ingredients
Lamb | Mutton - use tender cuts of mutton pieces with bone-in for best flavour. Bone-in mutton is best for making any kulambu since it adds so much flavour to the gravy.
Onions - You can use onions or shallots in kulambu. You need onions for making masala as well as sauteing.
Tomatoes - ground tomatoes is added in the marination which makes the gravy thick and tasty.
Ginger & Garlic - add lots of ginger garlic paste which gives a wonderful aroma.
Green Chillies - fresh green chillies adds flavour and gives the gravy spicy kick.
Spice Powders - usual spices like chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder is used.
Coconut - every traditional kulambu recipe uses coconut which gives the taste. I add some fennel seeds into the coconut for grinding. You can add some cashews, roasted gram dal or almonds in this when grinding which gives a thicker gravy.
How to Make Mutton Kulambu (Stepwise Pictures)
Make Marination
1)Take onion, tomato, spice powders in a blender and make it into a fine puree.I added some salt as well.
2)You can add little water if you want. But the water from the tomatoes is enough to make it into a fine paste.
3)Add this paste into the mutton pieces and mix well.
4)Allow this to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. You can leave to marinate overnight also, but it is not required.
Pressure cooking Mutton
5)Take the marinated mutton in a pressure cooker. Add ½ cup of water to this if needed. We are going to pressure cook the mutton.
6)Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 5 to 6 whistle. If you are making this in a cooking pot instead of pressure cooker. It might take around 1 hour to 1.5 hours to cook the mutton. I have included instant pot method below make sure you check that.
7)Now the mutton is cooked completely. Set this aside so we can make the base.
Grinding Coconut
8)Take coconut, fennel seeds in a blender. You can add some cashews, roasted gram dal or almonds in this when grinding which gives a thicker gravy.
9)Grind the coconut fennel seeds to a fine paste. Set this aside. We will be using this in the end.
Make Mutton Kulambu
10)Heat coconut oil in a large pot. Add in curry leaves, sliced onions and green chillies.
Pro Tip: Instead of onions you can use chopped shallots. Shallots gives a sweet flavour to the curry.
11)Saute the onions till it gets lightly golden brown. Add in spice powders and mix well.
12)Once the spice powders are added, reduce the flame and cook else the spices may get burnt. Add in the cooked mutton pieces along with the cooking liquid.
13)Pour in extra water if needed and bring it to a full boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the flame and add in the coconut masala.
14)Mix the coconut into the gravy, reduce the flame and cover the pot with lid. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
15)Mutton kuzhambu is ready. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.
16)Serve mutton kuzhambu with rice or any main dish.
Instant Pot Mutton Kuzhambu Recipe
Marinating Mutton - Grind ingredients as mentioned and marinate mutton.
Sauteing in Instant Pot - Heat instant pot in saute mode. Add oil along with curry leaves. Let it sizzle for few seconds. Now add in onions and green chilli and saute this till they turn golden brown. Add in all the spice powders and mix well.
Adding Mutton - Now add mutton along with any sauce left in it and mix well. Saute for at least 10 mins. Pour some water Add salt if needed. Cover the instant pot and set it to pressure cook mode and set for 10 mins. Once the timer goes off. let the pressure release by itself.
Finishing Kulambu - Meanwhile grind coconut with fennel seeds to a smooth paste. Open the instant pot, add the ground masala and mix well. Cook on low for 5 mins. Add in coriander leaves and mix. Serve.
Expert Tips
- You can cook this dish in pressure cooker or regular pot. If using pressure cooker, the cooking time is less. If cooking in cooking pot, it takes more time.
- Mutton takes more time to cook. So I cook in pressure cooker.
- Small onions (shallots) add sweetness to the dish. You can use shallots of regular onions.
- Roasted gram dal in coconut paste adds thickness to the gravy.
- Once coconut paste is added, don't boil too vigorously else the coconut will curdle.
Serving & Storage
Leftover mutton kulambu can be stored in fridge and reheated on stove top when needed.
Mutton Kulambu recipe is perfect to enjoy with some hot rice or some chapati. It can be had with Appam, Idiyappam and Kerala Parotta. Kuzhambu is usually served with rice, nool parotta, Tandoori roti, idli, dosa, idiyappam or ghee rice.
More Mutton | Lamb Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe Card
Mutton Kuzhambu | Mutton Kulambu Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Blender
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
- ½ kg Mutton | Lamb
For Marinating Mutton
- 1 large Onion chopped
- 2 medium Tomato chopped
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
- 2 tsp Garam masala powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- Salt to taste
For Coconut Paste
- ¾ cup Fresh Coconut
- 2 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tbsp Cashews or Roasted Gram Dal (optional)
For Mutton Kulambu
- 1 large Onion sliced thinly
- 3 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
- 4 no Green Chillies slit
- 3 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- 2 tsp Chilli powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 4 tbsp Coriander Leaves finely chopped
- 4 tbsp Coconut Oil
- Salt
Instructions
- First step is to cook the mutton. Take all the ingredients given for marination in a blender and make into a fine puree. Pour this over the mutton pieces and marinate it for a hour.
- Now take this in a pressure cooker and cook it for 5-6 whistle and simmer it for 15 mins. Switch off the flame and let the pressure go all by itself. Now open the pressure cooker and set it aside.
- Next step is to take coconut and fennel seeds in a blender and make into a very smooth paste by adding some water. Set this aside too.
- Now make the base for the gravy. Heat a large wide open pan on medium heat. Add oil in that and add some curry leaves. Let it sizzle for few seconds. Now add in onions and green chilli and saute this till they turn golden brown. Now add in all the spice powders and mix well. Now add the cooked mutton along with gravy left in it and mix well. Pour some water according to the consistency which you need. Add salt if needed.
- Now add in the ground coconut masala and mix well. Bring it to boil and cover it with a lid. Simmer the flame and cook it for 10 mins on a low flame. Switch off the flame and serve it with rice.
Video
Notes
- You can cook this dish in pressure cooker or regular pot. If using pressure cooker, the cooking time is less. If cooking in cooking pot, it takes more time.
- Mutton takes more time to cook. So I cook in pressure cooker.
- Small onions (shallots) add sweetness to the dish. You can use shallots of regular onions.
- Roasted gram dal in coconut paste adds thickness to the gravy.
- Once coconut paste is added, don't boil too vigorously else the coconut will curdle.
Serving & Storage
Leftover mutton kulambu can be stored in fridge and reheated on stove top when needed. Mutton Kulambu recipe is perfect to enjoy with some hot rice or some chapati. It can be had with Appam, Idiyappam and Kerala Parotta. Kuzhambu is usually served with rice, nool parotta, Tandoori roti, idli, dosa, idiyappam or ghee rice.Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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tamilsasikitchen
Super Delicious Mutton Kulambu...Mouth watering on seeing the clicks...
faseela
yummy n delicious gravy....
Hamaree Rasoi
Well I too like meat when it is tender and soft. Gravy looks delicious
Anonymous
yummy mutton kulambu
Anu
Looks so delicious..Nice detail explanation..
flavia
ur site looks great with pictorials
i like the way u present it
GK Arusuvai
Nice mutton kulambu
Priyanka
I have a silly doubt is this the recipe for Nadaar mutton kulambu... My husband is from south and been asking for it quite some time. But i dont know the ABC of it. Can u confirm
Priyanka
I have a doubt like is this the recipe for Nadaar mutton kulambu. Since my husband is from south he is been asking for that quite some time. So i jus want to make sure.
Aarthi
@PriyankaYes this is how we make in the south..But there are so many types of muttonn curries too. This is one of them.
Periyarmathi
Thank you!
I going to try this now... 🙂
Mehalaa Devi
Tried it jus now 🙂 really awesome 🙂 thanks a lot 🙂
Prasanna Dhayalan
Awesome
Anonymous
any other important points to be noted while cooking....? am gonna try this today.
Anonymous
no need of adding ginger garlic paste.
Aarthi
@AnonymousI forgot to take pic of that..you have to add after sauteing the onions..edited
Anonymous
Very nice kulambu aarthi please give the onion and tomotto in grams
Veeralakshmi Sukumar
Wow Arthi it came out superb.i don't have time for marination then to it came out very well.thanks dear.
Anonymous
Shall we add drumstick
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes if u want add
Mumtaz begum
Shall i skip marinating.. Or can i marinate it in less tym? Plz tell me
Mumtaz begum
Shall i skip marinating.. Or can i marinate it in less tym? Plz tell me
Aarthi
@Mumtaz begumyes u can skip marination or marinate for 30 mins or so
neelu aleem
If we r using half of the main ingred then we have to make remianing ingred also into half for any dish.other one is u r using garam masala powder in dishes tht powder is ur handmade powder only?iam searching for cooking site unfortunatelly i saw ur site really awsome.fact is that iam not good at cooking starting i am sure ur dishes ur step by step pics will help me a lot really thank u aarti ji
neelu aleem
Aarti ji garam masala powder which is u r using in every dish is ur handmade powder?if the quantity of main ingred in half to ur main ingred then we have make half of the all the other ingreds
Aarthi
@neelu aleemyes it is homemade recipe. If you want to halve the recipe, then halve every ingredients.
Here is the link for garam masala
https://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2013/03/homemade-garam-masala-powder-my-version.html
Anonymous
Hi. Is this for 1 kg mutton or half kg ?
Thaslim
The quantity of the mutton is 1kg or half kg...??
Aarthi
@Thaslimit is 1/2 kg..sorry typo
Anonymous
We have tried out this item. Came out very well. Thanks a lotttttt for ur wonderful post
Anonymous
After 8 hard years in cooking,today I excelled in mutton gravy.I got 'excellent' comment from my hubby.I owe you a lot mam.Thank u soooo much.
Escaline
Hi aarthi
Tried this recipe n it turned out great. Thnx a lot. God bless.
Anonymous
Hi,
i tried today,for marination i added whole pepper and few cardamom and cinnamon,
also i added my favorite drumstick
its amazing
thx
Anonymous
Hi,
i tried today,for marination i added whole pepper and few cardamom and cinnamon,
also i added my favorite drumstick
its amazing
thx
Anonymous
While cooking, coconut turned its texture like spoiling the gravy wat can i do for it
Ramanathan
i am trying this for my kids and wife. hope they will like it. steps with pictures helped me a lot.Thanks for posting!
revathy n
Sooperb... I tried it. It came out very well. But one thing, after adding coconut don't have to cook for 20 to 30 minutes... It is enough if we cook for 10 minutes.
suganyaVijayakumar
Thank u akka mutton kulambu came well am very afraid of making mutton kulambu but ur method is make me fell very simple u r my cooking guide without u I cant am daily cooking variety of dishes with ur guides
Asha
Superb Kulambu, None of my kari kulambu recipes have been good so far ,this one was excellent taste.!! Love the pics , thank you