Gongura Mutton or Mutton curry w/ Sorrel Leaves

We in Greater Toronto Area(GTA) are experiencing a heat wave, with temperatures poised to hit record highs we are under an extreme heat alert as dangerous heat invades ON & QC...kind of living Andhra summer here... So here is another signature dish of Andhra Pradesh, that we Telugu people celebrate.

A week ago I had this chance to make a much longed and missed leafy item dish called Gongura in Telugu(Andhra) which refers to Sorrel leaves in English. Give me this dish all through the year and I wouldn't say no to it. Then you can imagine how much I missed it over these years in Canada. We in east coast are not so fortunate enough to find Sorrel leaves in any grocery store, except someone gets the imported seeds and grow the leaves in summer in their farm or back yard. I think in west coast these are readily available thru farmers market..

A few weeks back a dear friend of us gifted me with this gongura which she purchased whole sale from an import vendor. My joy knew no bounds.
Though I have eaten and cooked Gongura in many varieties like Gongura dhal, Gongura Pachadi, Gongura tadka, Gongura Prawns..etc..the most relished combo for me with Gongura is Gongura Mutton.

Both my grand mothers and mother use to frequent this dish especially for me so passionately. Its like they use to dedicate this dish on my name.
So with that profound history lets see the making of it.
Good that I typed out the recipe long ago when my SIL asked for it, not withstanding the pestering my Bro gave her to make Gongura Mutton like my granny. Little did I believe that I will cook this dish my own in this part of the world.

Ingredients :
To Cook Gongura leaves:
1 bunch Gongura (Sorrel leaves)
4-5 Green chillies slit
1/2 of Small onion sliced
2 Big Garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 tsp home made Chilly made( andhra karam) - ( Use regular one if not available)
1 tsp oil
Rock salt to taste
Enough water to boil and cook the leaves thoroughly.

For the Mutton Curry:

1 to 1.5 lbs Goat or Lamb meat with bones cut into medium to small pieces
1 Tbsp Oil
2 Big or 4 Medium sized Onions chopped
4 Green chillies slit
6-8 Curry leaves if desired
2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 Medium Tomato squeezed

1/2 Tsp Tumeric pwdr

1 Tsp Chilly power
1 Tsp Coriander pwdr
1 Tsp Home Made Garam Masala Pwdr
Salt to taste

Procedure:
Separate leaves from gongura stems ..do remember to add the small pods..which adds to the sourness.
Cook the sorrel leaves with all the rest of the ingredients in the "Cooking Gongura" list..till the leaves are fully cooked.

Remove from heat.

Mash the gongura thoroughly into a smooth paste and keep aside.

Now cook mutton the regular way...
Heat oil and saute' onions, green chillies, curry leaves.
Now add ginger garlic paste fry,
Add Squeezed Tomato and saute'
Add mutton, (usually 1/2 kg- for 1 bunch of sorrel leaves),
Add salt, karam, garam masala powder
Mix and fry for sometime..
Add a little water to cook mutton, or you can pressure cook it too.
Once the mutton is cooked almost, add the cooked mashed cooked gongura and mix well

Allow the gravy to cook for 7 - 10 so that the mutton absorbs the gongura .. and vice versa.

Once the gravy is thick remove from heat.
Serve with Hot rice.

Crab Manchurian

My schedule just got busier with enrollment into a new program..Kids summer vacation is going fab..sure it deserves more time of attention from parents..so that explains my absence for a few weeks on my space. Nevertheless here is another delectable Manchurian recipe which I churned out.

More than eating, kids love watching live crabs in the store or I have fun when I break open one frozen crab box and try to scare them with the claws..

When I lived in Chennai, there was this cute restaurant close to my place which served amazing Crab Manchurian made with dragon crabs..Ever since I wanted to duplicate it in my kitchen too..

Ingredients:
1 Box of Ceylon Crabs or Dragon variety (say around 2 lbs, cleaned)
To deep fry crabs:
2 tbsp Corn Flour
2 Tbsp cup All Purpose Flour (optional)
A pinch of black pepper
1 tsp each of ginger garlic powder or paste
Salt to taste
Enough oil to deep fry

Sauces:2 Tbsp Soya Sauce

2 Chilli Garlic Sauce

1 Tsp Worchester sauce
2 Tbsp Tomato sauce or ketchup

Others:1 Tbsp Oil
5 big Garlic pods chopped finely
1/2 cup Green Onions chopped
5 Green Chillies cut diagonally
1 Sweet Green Peppers

Procedure:Make a batter in a bowl with all the to fry list ingredients. Add crab pieces to it and mix well to coat them evenly.
Deep fry the crab in batches for 5-7 minutes and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, fry till slightly brown. Add green chillies and fry.
Add sweet peppers and stir fry till edges turn brown on high heat..
Remove the sweet peppers alone and keep aside.
Now add all the sauces, one by one and mix.
Add a little water to make a sauce gravy.

Add salt

Now add deep-fried grab, and carefully mix to coat the crab evenly with the Manchurian gravy sauce.
Cook for another 5 minutes till the gravy is sticking to the crab pieces, mix regularly.
Add water while stirring, if necessary.
Now add the stir fried green peppers and chopped green onions and mix again.
Remove from heat and serve with veg fried rice.(Will post the fried rice in my next post)