Mutton, a mature and sustainable meat, offers a depth of flavour that younger cuts cannot match, making it ideal for robust curries and slow-cooked dishes. Chef Aktar Islam shares two recipes that showcase mutton’s versatility: a traditional Kashmiri rogan josh and a spicy keema pau street food. While mutton is rarely found in supermarkets, it can be sourced from butchers, particularly halal ones, or ordered online.
For the rogan josh, Islam recommends using bone-in mutton neck for its superior flavour. The dish begins with a spiced yoghurt mixture of full-fat yoghurt, ground fennel, ginger, saffron, coriander, mild red chilli powder, and turmeric. A base is made by heating ghee with black cardamom, peppercorns, and cloves, then browning the mutton with salt. Garlic and ginger pastes, caramelised onion puree, and Kashmiri chilli paste are added before stirring in the yoghurt mix. After simmering until the fat separates, hot lamb stock is added, and the curry cooks covered for two to two and a half hours until tender. The sauce is then reduced, seasoned, and garnished with fresh coriander.
The keema pau recipe features a spicy mutton mince curry served in buttered, pan-fried bread rolls. A green paste is made from coriander, mint, green chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, and black peppercorns. Onions are sautéed in oil until golden, then ginger and garlic paste, turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander, and cumin are added. The mutton mince is cooked in this mixture until coloured, followed by whisked yoghurt, frozen peas, and slit green chillies. The dish is finished with butter, kasuri methi, garam masala, and fresh coriander, served with halved, buttered, and toasted pau or brioche buns.
Both recipes highlight mutton’s ability to absorb spices and develop rich flavours through slow cooking. The rogan josh pairs well with rice, naan, or rotis and a kachumber salad, while the keema pau is a complete street-food meal. Islam emphasises that mutton’s bold character makes it a rewarding choice for adventurous home cooks.
