Uppu Kari (Chettinad Mutton Fry)

Uppu Kari or Chettinad style Mutton Fry is one of the most iconic nonvegetarian dishes from the region. The dish celebrates the smoky spicy flavour of the round dry red chillies (known as gundu milagu) and is best relished when mixed into piping hot rice.

A conversation I had with my 6 year old last week…..

Adi: Mama, I am watching a cooking show
Me: Oh, that’s nice Adi; I am happy you are interested in cooking

Adi: Yes Mama, I also want to learn to cook yummy food like you make before I get married.
A flabbergasted me: Marriage? What’s the connection between cooking and marriage Adi?

Adi: Mama, you learnt to cook when you married dada rite? Just like that….
Me: No dear, I always liked to cook though I started to do it frequently only after marriage. I was studying till then rite!

Adi lets out a long sigh! As if what I have said makes no sense at all.
Me: Adi, you don’t need to get married to cook yummy food. You can learn to cook whenever you want.

Adi (in a slightly sterner voice): Ok Mama, but I will also cook yummy food when I get married!

I ended the conversation, but making a mental note to return back to it at some point in the future. I was happy that he thought that he should learn cooking and also the fact that he thinks highly of my food and that I have been able to inspire him in some way.

I am also relieved that I have not bought him up thinking cooking at home is a woman’s job. But cooking and marriage – I don’t think I understand quite what’s going through his little mind.

And later at dinner, over this delicious plate of Uppu Kari (Chettinad Mutton Fry), I shared this conversation with my other half, who as always laughed it off saying that I am going to make my son a chef.

Uppu Kari is a very traditional Chettiar dish and one of the best kept secrets of the vibrant Chettinad cuisine of Tamil Nadu. Today, one can find several variations of this dish but very few of these do justice to the real heritage of this preparation.

This recipe comes from the famed heritage restaurant ‘The Bangala Table’ situated in the Chettinad region. Uppu Kari or Chettinad mutton fry may have only a few ingredients but it has complex, fiery flavours and is so uniquely reminiscent of this cuisine.

The Uppu Kari is all about the smoky, vibrant and fiery flavour of the dried chillies; not just any variety but the plump round ones that are called gundu milagu in South India. Easily available at all Indian stores and grocers, these chillies are not very hot when kept intact. The combination of dried chillies with the shallots and garlic slow roasted with the mutton in a large wok is what gives this dish its flavour.

The ingredients are few and the technique simple; all you need is a bit of patience while the mutton roasts itself slowly absorbing all the flavours. And do add that bit of liver, the texture it provides to the whole dish is amazing.

Print Recipe

Uppu Kari (Chettinad Mutton Fry)

Author: Dhanya Samuel

Ingredients

• 500 gms boneless mutton cut into 1 inch cubes + 150 gms liver
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 15 dry red chilli round variety/goondu milagu
• 1 ½ inch cinnamon bark
• 8 large garlic cloves finely sliced lengthwise (increase number of cloves if smaller in size)
• 18-20 medium shallots peeled whole
• ½ medium onion finely chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 ½ medium tomatoes chopped
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed wok or kadai; when the oil is hot enough but not smoking, add the whole chillies. Stir for a few seconds till fragrant.
• Lower the heat a little and add the cinnamon and sliced garlic. Continue to stir ensuring that the spices do not burn.
• Add the whole shallots, onion and turmeric powder; continue to stir for a minute or two till the onions have softened lightly.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes till it has softened and starts to release the juices. Then add the mutton pieces and season with salt. Stir and cook without any water for another 4-5 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil. Then keep covered and simmer on low heat for 40-45 minutes or until the meat has become tender. Stir occasionally. (If you feel the mixture is a little dry before the meat is cooked well, then add more water).
• Once the meat is almost done, remove lid and braise till all the water has evaporated, meat has darkened and the sauce has beautifully coated the meat.
• Serve warm with a traditional South Indian meal; this dish also pairs well with dosas, kal dosas and appams.

Notes

If you do not want the dish to be very spicy, keep the chillies whole. If you break it open, the seeds will spill out which can make the dish really hot.