Khatta meatMutton in sour pomegranate gravy
Khatta meat is a pride of Jammu's Dogra kitchens, cooked for family gatherings and the winter wedding season: mutton on the bone simmered slowly in mustard oil with fennel and dry ginger, then soured with ground anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) or lemon. The gravy is thin, tangy and deep red, eaten with plain rice. It has no curd or tomato; the sourness comes from the pomegranate alone. The common mistake is adding the anardana early, when it turns bitter during the long cook; stir it in for the last ten minutes. Chef's tip: grind the anardana fresh and soak it in a little hot water first, then strain, for a clean, fruity sourness without grit.
























