Mutton Pepper fry (Milagu Poricha kari) / Agneau sauté au poivre

Known as the ?King of spices? because of its numerous medicinal properties, Pepper is undeniably the most popular of all the spices and did you know that it originated in the Malabar coasts of West India? Very little was my knowledge about the value of this wonderful spice until my unforgettable trip to ?God?s own country ?Kerala, (one of the 28 states in India) a couple of years back.



In fact it was during this voyage to Kerala that I came to know more about this spice. Feeling and touching the Pepper climbers/ creepers, clinging to the coconut/ mango or jackfruit trees, often grew in people?s backyards, was a remarkable experience,  that today when I go to the market to buy a bottle of pepper, I look at the pepper in a different manner......



Some interesting facts which I retained about this spice is that once upon a time, long long ago, like gold, Pepper was considered to be a luxury product, equivalent to money and was stored under lock and key and was used as a currency exchange, valuable enough to pay debts and taxes.



I would also like to share with you a small anecdote that I heard about the famous explorer/traveler Vasco da Gama.

The legend says that since pepper was so in demand those days, on one of his trips back from Kerala (India), Vasco da Gama asked the king whether he could take a pepper stalk with him for replanting in his country and the king who was well known for his sarcasm responded him calmly ? You may take our pepper, but I don?t think you?ll be able to take our rains?, referring to Kerala?s tropical climate and the heavy monsoons, which are mandatory for the growth of pepper plants.



I think I?m going off the subject now, so, let me come back to the preparation of my mutton pepper fry, which is such a simple one whose main flavor is obviously pepper. Ideal as a side dish, it would be preferable to pair it with a mild flavored dish/ curry in order to appreciate wholly the distinct flavors of the meat and pepper in this dish.



Ingredients / Ingrédients :

1 kg mutton (I?ve used lamb shoulder, cut into bite size pieces) / 1 kilo d' épaule d? agneau (coupée en petits morceaux)

3 table spoons lime juice / 3 c. à table jus de citron

A tsp turmeric powder / 1 c.café de poudre de curcuma

1 tbsp pasted ginger /1 c. à table de gingembre pelé et broyé

1 tbsp pasted garlic /1 c. à table d?ail pelé et broyé

3 or 4 green chillies/ 3 ou 4 piments verts

2 big onions (chopped finely) / 2 oignons (hachés finement)

2 tomatoes (chopped roughly) / 2 tomates (hachées grossièrement)

A handful of Chopped coriander leaves / une poignée de coriandre fraiche (hachée grossièrement)

1 cinnamon, 2 or 3 bay leaves / 1 cannelle, 2 ou 3 feuilles de laurier

Salt / Sel

Oil for frying/ Huile



To Roast & powder : / À griller et puis à broyer :

2 tsp peppercorns / 2 c.café de grains de poivre

2 tsp cumin seeds / 2 c.café de grains de cumin

4 cloves and a small cinnamon stick / 4 clous de girofle et un petit/demi bâton de cannelle



Method/ Préparation :



In a big bowl, add lime juice, turmeric powder, pasted ginger and garlic, the green chilies (remove just the stem) the onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, meat and salt. Stir well, taste and rectify if necessary, let it marinate for an hour.

Dans un grand bol, ajouter le jus de citron, la poudre de curcuma, le gingembre et l'ail broyés, les piments verts (enlever la tige et garder les entiers), les oignons, les tomates, la coriandre fraîche, la viande et le sel. Remuer bien, goûter et rectifier le goût si nécessaire et laisser mariner pendant une heure.



Roast the spices under " To Roast & Powder" without burning them on medium flame and make a fine powder.

Griller les ingrédients sous la rubrique « À griller et puis à broyer » sur une poêle à feu moyen sans les brunir et broyer finement.



Pressure-cook the meat along with the marinating mixture until 2 whistles. Wait until the pressure comes down, remove the lid and continue cooking on high flame until most of the liquid evaporates.

Faire cuire la viande avec le mélange de marinade dans une cocotte minute jusqu'au 2 sifflets. Attendre jusqu'à ce que la pression diminue, retirer le couvercle et continuer la cuisson à feu vif, jusqu'à ce que la plupart du liquide s?évapore.



Pour some oil in a wide skillet, splutter the bay leaves and cinnamon add the cooked meat and fry for a while until oil seperates. Add the powdered spices and stir fry on high flame for 5 to 10 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.

Verser de l'huile dans une grande poêle comme un wok, faire dorer les feuilles de laurier et la cannelle. Ajoutez ensuite la viande cuite et faire sauter pendant quelques miuntes, jusqu' à ce que l' huile se sépare de la sauce. Ajouter les épices en poudre (broyées auparavant) et les faire sauter à feu vif pendant 5 à 10 minutes ou jusqu'à la consistance désirée.



Enjoy !! / Bon appétit !!