Mutton Dhalca

I learnt to prepare this mutton dhalca during my stay with my aunt years ago. But I never had the chance to try them. And I finally did! Although, my dhalca didn't taste as good as my aunt. I guess, that is predictable. I mean... I know what kind of ingredients went in, and when they went in. But I never get the standard recipe -- the measurement for the recipe. How many onion do I use? Things like that. I guess I had to try and practice? But my mum give me a tips after she gave my mutton dhalca a taste. She told me to use ghee instead of oil the next time I made this.

The taste of this dhalca is a bit different than Indian's dhalca. In Malaysia, you could always tell if the curry is Indian curry or Malay curry. Indian curry is a bit thicker than Malay curry. And I think the ingredients used is a bit different. The spices used in the curry, perhaps? I'll have to try making my own Indian version of curry to tell what is the difference. Now that I think of it, Japanese curry is a whole lot different too. Japanese curry taste a bit sweet than the others.

I wonder how many curries are they in this world?

Mutton Dhalca
(Recipe from my aunt, but I came up with the measurement)

Oil/Ghee

2 medium onion

5 clove garlic

1 inch ginger

2 stalk of lemongrass

1 stalk lemongrass

2 stalk curry leaves

5 cardamom
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
5 clove
2 tbsp curry powder
1 cup dhalca - soaked with cold water for 2-3 hours
1 cup coconut milk
400 g mutton - boiled till tender (reserve the juice)
2 medium size potato - cut into desired size

1 medium size carrot - cut into desired size

1 medium size brinjal - cut into desired size

a bit of long beans - cut into desired size

1 medium size tomato - cut into wedges

1.  Blend onion, garlic, ginger and 2 stalk of lemongrass to a paste. Set aside.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a sauce pot. Add in 1 stalk lemon grass and stir for a while. Then, add in curry leaves.
3. Add in cardamom, star anise, cinnamon stick and clove. Stir for a while and add in blended ingredients.
4. Add in curry powder and stir well. Then, add in tossed dhalca/lentil into the curry.
5. Pour in coconut milk. Mix in boiled mutton and add in the reserved juice from boiling the mutton.
6. Let it boil for a while. Then, add in potato. Let it stand for 2 minutes, then, add in carrots.
7. When the potato and carrots are tender, throw in brinjal, long beans and lastly tomato.
8. Salt to taste. Serve as side dishes with white rice. Or biryani if you prefer :)

Note:

Cardamom, star anise, cinnamon stick and clove -- these four spices are also referred as four best friends by Malay as we always use these four spices in many Malay dishes.