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After a rich, decadent dessert, it’s time for Laal Maas (Red Hot Lamb Curry) which is a fiery hot red meat curry, that not only is spicy  but also finger-licking good.  When I say finger-licking good, what I mean is, you put down your spoon and fork and get going with the fingers.  The lamb (I have used goat meat here) is cooked in a red hot gravy and the dish is typically very hot and rich in flavors, but takes a very little time to prepare. That’s the best way to enjoy this Laal Maas dish.

Laal Maas (Red Hot Lamb Curry)

Laal Maas (Red Hot Lamb Curry)

Laal Maas is from Rajasthan – an ethnic and regal state of India. I visited Jaipur, Rajasthan some good 10 years ago and was taken by its rich culture and imposing forts and palaces. Everyone who knows me they know that I have a thing for anything that’s old, crumbling, untouched (read: No Upgrades) and decadent. So no wonder, the memories from that trip is still so fresh in my mind.  The only regret I have is, I didn’t explore the food scene that much.  Why? One, too busy shopping Second, Wasn’t into cooking that much back then. But I did come back with a lot of traditional jewelry, sarees and scarves.

Red Hot Curry, Indian Lamb Curry

Coming back to the Laal Maas, the method and the quantity of garlic used in this dish makes it so very different than other meat curries. The raw garlic added after the cooking is done, entirely transforms this dish and imparts this unique flavor. Although, the recipe calls for red chili powder, but you could adjust, depending upon how hot you want your curry to be and then replace the hot red chili powder with Kashmiri chili powder, which is not that hot but gives the curry a very vibrant deep red color.

Laal Maas (Red Hot Lamb Curry)Rajput cuisine traditionally uses a lot of garam masala and chillies because it’s almost always accompanied by alcohol.

Just to clear out a few myths about the Laal Maas –

  • It does not have to be made with only boar/deer meat (though traditionally this dish used to be prepared with deer or boar meat for the hunters). You can use whatever meat you prefer even chicken.
  • It does not have to be extremely spicy. Please adjust the level of spiciness as your taste buds allow. And if your dish doesn’t turn out to be that red, don’t worry.
  • It is not a redder version of Rogan Josh. It is drier and richer.

All you need is some buttery naan/roti to dunk into this spicy hot curry.

Laal Maas (Red Hot Lamb Curry)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 small onions, finely chopped
  • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 18-20 red chillies
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, whole
  • 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
  • 1 cup mustard oil
  • 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
  • A small piece of ginger, finely chopped
  • 1/2 kg lamb, cut into pieces with bones
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 3-4 pods cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • A little bit of mace
  • 1 pod black cardamom
  • Water

METHOD:

  • Dry roast the red chillies, coriander seeds and cumin seeds for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame. Grind it into a coarse powder.
  • Heat some mustard oil in a pan. Add to this the garlic and ginger.
  • Once the garlic turns slightly brown add the lamb pieces and salt.
  • Now add the kachri powder. Not only does this powder tenderize the meat, its also adds a nice tangy flavor to it.
  • Now add the chopped onions and cook until the onions soften. Add the whole spices, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, mace, black cardamom, red chilly powder and let it roast for about a minute.
  • Cover it and let the meat simmer for a while and when you reach a good consistency of gravy, turn off the heat.
  • Serve hot.

NOTE: This copper dish was given to me by my co-worker- Melissa Crowley. It belonged to her grandmother and is tentatively close to 100 years old. Yes, there are people like her in this world who has no ulterior motives behind giving.

LAAL MAAS
LAAL MAAS

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I’m scrappy, weird and goofy. I’m a snob when it comes to a LOT of things.., Mainly – coffee, wine and chocolates. I laugh loud and yell louder. I run fast, but walk slow. I love walking long walks with a hot mug of coffee held tight between my hands. I have lonely eyes and a kind heart. I forgive but rarely forget. I remember the silliest of things and forget important matters. I love to run, read, cook and entertain. I draw inspirations from anything and everything aesthetic. There are numerous people who have and still continue to enrich my life in many good ways. I will remain indebted to them – Always. My dad is my biggest fan when it comes to cooking. I could see his eyes light up every time I serve something. My mom’s agility and affectionate nature that reflects on her food is something I’m still trying to master.

Travel fascinates me amongst other things. Leave me in Venice and I would get lost in its timeless beauty – The canals. The piazzas. The art. The espresso. Leave me in NYC and I would tirelessly walk the length and breadth of the city (after all, There is always something open 24 hours a day).

Through this blog, I am hoping to bring in my passion and love for a few things – Cooking, Travel, Kids, Coffee, Clothes and in the interim learn more myself. Hope I am able to do justice to my PASSION.

44 Comments

  2. Lip smacking and lovely pictures !! I was just doing a little research about this dish, as it’s a part of an upcoming North Indian curry challenge. Funnily even I visited Jaipur and have never tried this, for the same reasons that you’ve mentioned..lol

  7. Made me miss Rajasthan and the Rajasthani cuisine!.., both the recipe and the dish that you prepared look deliciously spicy

  13. I miss goat. I wish it were easier to find in the US. I’ll have to try your recipe out with lamb. Looks delicious!

  15. Your recipes always sound so delicious! This sounds absolutely wonderful! I would certainly use the deer meat. Thank you for sharing!

  20. Very interesting recipe! I don’t eat meat, but I know a lot of people who would love this!

  23. We haven’t done much diving into the ethnic food world yet. We’re still getting used to the idea of lamb instead of steak. Hopefully someday we will make the switch! Thanks for sharing.

  33. My mouth nor my tummy can handle super spicy food, but this looks AMAZING!!! I love that I can tone down the spice. I feel like I can almost smell this through the screen!

  36. Wow, that looks amazing. I love learning about new foods and the stories behind them.

  40. My boyfriend is all about the spicy (me on the other hand I’m a big old chicken!) but I know he would love this! I’ll just make sure to have lots of naan nearby for me!

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