On the heat. Extra hot

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg mutton curry pieces
• — ROAST AND GRIND TOGETHER
• 2 tbsp coriander seed · 1 tbsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp cumin · 1 tbsp black peppercorn
• 8 dried red chillies · 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon · 3 green cardamom · 1 star anise
• 3 tbsp desiccated coconut · 1 tsp poppy seed
• — THE POT
• 4 tbsp sesame oil · 3 onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger–garlic · 3 tomatoes
• 2 sprigs curry leaves · 1 tsp turmeric · salt

Method

1. Dry-roast the whole spices, chillies and coconut separately in a pan until each is fragrant and one shade darker. Cool, then grind fine. This masala is the dish.
2. Sesame oil hot, curry leaves in until they crackle. Onions, 12 minutes to brown.
3. Ginger–garlic, then tomatoes and turmeric, cooked down 8 minutes.
4. Mutton in, turned through for 10 minutes on high.
5. Ground masala in with 400 ml water and salt. Lid on, 75 minutes on low.
6. Lid off, reduce hard for the last 15 minutes until the gravy is thick and clinging. Curry leaves fried in a little oil over the top. Rice or dosa.

Cook's note. Ground fresh or not at all. Chettinad is defined entirely by just-roasted, just-ground spice. Made with shop masala it is simply a hot curry.

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