Paruppu Kari Puli Kozhambu (Mutton in lentils sauce)

This is one of Akal Saappadu?s family recipes and it's my elder sister in law (someone who was a guide for my first kitchen experience) who gave me the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups channa dhal ( kadala paruppu)
1 ½ kg mutton pieces (rib and breast pieces will do)
1 tbsp each of ginger and garlic paste
3 tbsp curry powder
½ handful tamarind
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp vadavam
2 big onions (chopped finey)
A bunch of curry leaves
15 lady?s fingers (optional)
½ tsp turmeric powder
Salt (as needed)
3 tbsp oil

Method:
Soak for about 15 minutes, the tamarind in a 1 ½ cups of warm water and salt. Filter and reserve the tamarind extract.
Wash and chop the mutton pieces, add turmeric powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste, curry powder, the channa dhal and 4 cups of water and pressure cook until 5 whistles or for about 20 minutes. Pour it all through a colander to separate the meat and the dhal from the soup.
Add the tamarind extract with the coconut milk.
Heat oil in a vessel, add curry leaves, followed by the vadavam. After few seconds, add the chopped onions and fry until translucent. If any vegetables are going to be added then it?s now. I added some lady?s fingers. They can be replaced by any other like raw plantain ( vazhakkai), drumsticks (murungakkai), potatoes or eggplants ( kathirikkai).
Fry a little, then, add the coconut/tamarind mixture and taste. As necessary, more liquid can be added to the sauce (in that case pour the soup of the cooked meat). Taste and add salt if necessary.
Let it cook for about 15 minutes on high flame.
This sauce pairs well with dosai/plain rice/chapati/idli/ Aappam.I 'm re posting this recipe for my participation in Ashwini's Lentils Mela.