MUTTON NECK

Name: MUTTON NECK
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 900 g Mutton (neck pieces) (1 seer converted to approximately 900 g. Ask your butcher to cut the neck into small pieces, roughly 4–5 cm.); 115 g Plain yoghurt (curd) (1/2 powa converted to approximately 115 g. Use full-fat plain yoghurt. This is the traditional Indian curd.); 115 g Butter (1/2 powa converted to approximately 115 g. Unsalted butter preferred.); 115 g Breadcrumbs (1/2 powa converted to approximately 115 g. Fine, dry breadcrumbs work best.); 5 whole Eggs (Only the liquid contents (beaten eggs) are used. Crack and beat lightly before use.); 12 g Garam masala (1 tola converted to approximately 12 g. Use a pre-ground garam masala blend.); 24 g Cumin seeds (2 tolas converted to approximately 24 g. Whole seeds to be ground into a paste with a little water.); 12 g Black pepper (1 tola converted to approximately 12 g. Whole peppercorns to be ground into a paste with a little water.); 18 g Salt (1½ tolas converted to approximately 18 g. Divided: some used in the marinade, remaining added later with eggs and breadcrumbs.); 1 sufficient quantity Water (Enough water to fully submerge the meat pieces in the pot — approximately 1–1.5 litres for 900 g of mutton.)

A richly spiced colonial-era Indian mutton dish where tender pieces of neck meat are simmered in broth with cumin, pepper, and garam masala pastes, then enriched with egg, breadcrumbs, and butter for a thick, flavourful result. A small amount of soup is retained to keep the dish moist and saucy.

⏱ Prep: 20m

🍳 Cook: 55m

⏰ Total: 1h 15m

🍽 Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

900 g Mutton (neck pieces) (1 seer converted to approximately 900 g. Ask your butcher to cut the neck into small pieces, roughly 4–5 cm.)
115 g Plain yoghurt (curd) (1/2 powa converted to approximately 115 g. Use full-fat plain yoghurt. This is the traditional Indian curd.)
115 g Butter (1/2 powa converted to approximately 115 g. Unsalted butter preferred.)
115 g Breadcrumbs (1/2 powa converted to approximately 115 g. Fine, dry breadcrumbs work best.)
5 whole Eggs (Only the liquid contents (beaten eggs) are used. Crack and beat lightly before use.)
12 g Garam masala (1 tola converted to approximately 12 g. Use a pre-ground garam masala blend.)
24 g Cumin seeds (2 tolas converted to approximately 24 g. Whole seeds to be ground into a paste with a little water.)
12 g Black pepper (1 tola converted to approximately 12 g. Whole peppercorns to be ground into a paste with a little water.)
18 g Salt (1½ tolas converted to approximately 18 g. Divided: some used in the marinade, remaining added later with eggs and breadcrumbs.)
1 sufficient quantity Water (Enough water to fully submerge the meat pieces in the pot — approximately 1–1.5 litres for 900 g of mutton.)

Instructions

1Place the cumin seeds (24 g) in a small bowl and add just enough water to cover — about 2 tablespoons. Use the back of a spoon, a pestle and mortar, or a small blender to grind them into a smooth, thick paste. Repeat this process separately with the black pepper (12 g): add about 1–2 tablespoons of water and grind to a smooth paste. Finally, mix the garam masala (12 g) with just enough water — about 1 tablespoon — to form a thick paste. You should now have three separate spice pastes. Set them all aside.
2If your butcher has not already done so, cut the mutton neck into small pieces roughly 4–5 cm in size. Place all the meat into a large bowl. Add the yoghurt (115 g), then add approximately half of the pepper paste, half of the cumin paste, and roughly half of the salt (about 9 g). Mix everything thoroughly with your hands or a large spoon until the meat is evenly coated. Set the remaining spice pastes and salt aside — they will be added later.
3Pour approximately 1 to 1.5 litres of water into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to a full boil over high heat. Add the marinated mutton pieces along with all the marinade from the bowl. Stir briefly to combine. Once it returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, place a lid firmly on the pot, and let the meat cook covered until it is tender and cooked through — approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Check occasionally and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. The meat is done when it is tender and pulls away from the bone easily. Do not drain the liquid — you need to keep some broth (soup) in the pot.
4While the meat is still in the pot over low heat, crack all 5 eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly until the yolks and whites are fully combined. Once the meat is fully cooked and tender, reduce the heat to low. Pour the beaten eggs directly into the pot. Immediately add the breadcrumbs (115 g), the remaining salt (approximately 9 g), and all of the remaining spice pastes — the rest of the cumin paste, the rest of the pepper paste, and all of the garam masala paste. Stir everything together thoroughly and continuously for about 2–3 minutes to prevent the eggs from scrambling and to ensure the breadcrumbs and spices are evenly distributed through the broth and meat.
5In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter (115 g) until it is hot and fully liquid. Pour the hot butter over the meat mixture in the pot. Stir it in well. Bring the pot back to a gentle boil over medium heat and let it boil for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is well combined and the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Important: do not drain away all the liquid. Leave a small amount of the broth (soup) in the pot — this keeps the dish moist and saucy. Serve immediately in bowls, ensuring each portion has some meat and a little of the remaining broth.