Kerala Mutton Stew

Kerala Mutton Stew is a mild and creamy curry made with tender mutton pieces, coconut milk, and just a few simple ingredients. It is usually paired with appam, idiyappam, or even bread, especially for breakfast or festive meals. Unlike many other curries, this stew doesn’t use heavy spices or masalas. The flavour mainly comes from coconut milk, black pepper, ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves, making it light but rich in taste.

Traditionally, this stew doesn’t use a lot of vegetables. Usually, only potato is added for some body and balance. Some people add a slice or two of tomato, but that’s optional and used more for a touch of tang or colour. The recipe keeps things simple, allowing the taste of the mutton and coconut milk to shine. The stew is slow-cooked until the meat turns soft and the flavours blend well into the mildly spiced coconut gravy.The history of stew in Kerala goes back to the Syrian Christian households, where it became part of the festive breakfast table during Christmas or Easter. It is believed to have foreign roots, likely from early European or Middle Eastern influences, but Kerala gave it a local touch by using coconut milk instead of cream, and flavouring it with curry leaves and pepper. There’s also a vegetarian or vegan version, made with just potatoes and coconut milk, which is common during fasting days. Whether meaty or meatless, Kerala stew is all about simplicity, comfort, and tradition served in a bowl.

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Kerala Mutton Stew

Author: Ushadevi Cooking Method: Sauteing Cuisine: Kerala Courses: Curries & Side Dishes

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 35 mins

Servings: 4

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 500 gm Mutton (cut in to small cubes)
• 1 pinch Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Pepper powder
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cup Coconut Milk
• 2 Potatoes (optional)
• 1 Tomato
• ¹⁄₂ cup Onion sliced
• 2 Cardamom
• 2 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 spring Curry leaves

Instructions

1. To make Traditional Mutton Stew, Lets cook mutton with one pinch turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon Pepper powder and salt
2. Cook Potatoes and keep aside
3. In a pan heat oil, add Ginger, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom, curry leaves and saute for few minutes till raw smell goes
4. Add Onion and saute for 10 minutes or till Onion cooled well
5. Now lets add rest of black Pepper powder, Green chillies and enough salt and cook for few more minutes
6. Lets add Tomato, cooked Potato and and cook it for 5 minutes
7. You can add Mutton Pieces along with stock
8. Add coconut milk ,mix well and cook it in low flame
9. If you are not satisfied with the thickness of the curry you can add cornflour batter (cornflour + water)-(Optional)
10. If you like, you can add some pepper powder over the stew
11. Serve hot with Appam,Kallappam or anything you want