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Marchwangan korma
مرچ وانگن قورمہ (marchwangan korma): Kashmiri wazwan's fiery red mutton korma made with plenty of Kashmiri chillies
The name says it all: marchwangan means chilli, and this is the wazwan's hottest course, mutton cooked in a deep crimson gravy of Kashmiri chillies, mustard oil, fennel, dry ginger and a breath of cinnamon, with a spoonful of tamarind for sharpness. Kashmiri chillies bring colour more than ferocity, so you need a lot of them, and a few hotter dried chillies give the real kick. It is served at weddings and family feasts in Azad Kashmir and by Kashmiri households in Lahore and Rawalpindi with plain rice, alongside milder dishes like gushtaba to cool the palate. Scorching the chilli paste is how it goes wrong; it turns bitter and brown, so fry it on a moderate heat with a splash of water. Chef's tip: soak the whole dried chillies in hot water and blend them rather than using only powder, for a smoother, glossier gravy.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the korma
- 1 ⅔ lb mutton or goat on the bonecut into medium pieces
- 6 tbsp mustard oil
- 15 dried Kashmiri red chilliessoaked in hot water 20 minutes
- 3 hot dried red chilliessoaked with the Kashmiri chillies
- 5 shallotspuréed
- 2 black cardamom podslightly crushed
- 5 cloves
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp ground fennel
- 1 ½ tsp ground dry ginger (sonth)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 cups hot water
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain 15 dried Kashmiri red chillies and 3 hot dried red chillies and blend with 100 ml fresh water to a smooth paste.
5 minStep 2: Heat 6 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy pan until it smokes, then take it off the heat for a minute to cool slightly.
2 minStep 3: Return to a medium-high heat, add 2 black cardamom pods, 5 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 ⅔ lb mutton or goat on the bone and fry for 8–10 minutes until the meat is browned in places.
10 minStep 4: Add 5 shallots and 1 tbsp garlic paste and fry for 3 minutes until the raw smell goes.
3 minStep 5: Turn the heat to medium, add the chilli paste, 1 tbsp ground fennel, 1 ½ tsp ground dry ginger (sonth) and 1 ½ tsp salt, and fry for 5–6 minutes, adding a splash of water whenever it sticks, until the paste darkens to a deep red and oil separates.
6 minStep 6: Pour in 3 cups hot water, cover and simmer on a low heat for 60–70 minutes until the mutton is tender.
60 minStep 7: Stir in 1 tbsp tamarind paste and 1 /2 tsp Kashmiri garam masala or garam masala and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until the gravy is thick and a layer of red oil floats on top.
5 minStep 8: Serve with plain steamed rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does marchwangan korma take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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