Kolhapuri Mutton (Tambda Rassa)तांबडा रस्सा
Video: Your Food Lab (YouTube)
Tambda Rassa — the red gravy — is one of the two famous Kolhapuri gravies (the other is Pandhra, the white one), and it is everything a Maharashtrian meat-lover dreams about: a deep brick-red broth built on dry-roasted coconut and a spice blend that Kolhapur takes very seriously. Unlike other coconut curries, there is no coconut milk here — instead, the roasted dry coconut (kopra) is ground into a masala with a fistful of Kolhapuri red chilies to create a sauce that coats the mutton in layers of heat and nuttiness.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
Finding Desi spots near Plano…
Ingredients
- ▪bone-in mutton, curry-cut — मटण1 kg
- ▪dry coconut (kopra / khobra), roughly chopped — खोबरे½ cup
- ▪dried Kolhapuri or Bedgi red chilies — लाल मिर्ची8–10 whole
- ▪oil or ghee4 tbsp
- ▪onions, finely chopped — कांदा2 large
- ▪ginger-garlic paste — आले-लसूण पेस्ट2 tbsp
- ▪Kolhapuri masala (or goda masala + 1 extra tsp red chili)2 tbsp
- ▪coriander seeds, whole — धनिया1 tbsp
- ▪sesame seeds — तीळ1 tbsp
- ▪turmeric powder — हळद½ tsp
- ▪saltto taste
- ▪fresh coriander — कोथिंबीर (garnish)handful
- Kolhapuri masala and Bedgi/Kolhapuri red chilies are sometimes available at specialty Indian grocery stores. Goda masala (more widely available) plus an extra teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder gives a very close result. Kashmiri chilies are a reasonable substitute for Bedgi — same fruity depth, though slightly milder.
- Dry coconut (kopra) is the key to Tambda Rassa's distinctive texture. Look for it at Indian or Sri Lankan grocery stores sold as dry coconut slices or desiccated coconut in blocks. Unsweetened desiccated coconut from a regular supermarket can substitute — dry-roast it carefully as it browns much faster.
- Bone-in goat is traditional. In the diaspora, halal lamb shoulder (bone-in, curry-cut) works excellently and is widely available from halal butchers. Reduce pressure cook time to 18–20 minutes for lamb, which is more tender.
Method
- 1Dry-roast the chopped dry coconut in a pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown (about 5 minutes). In the same pan, briefly toast the coriander seeds, sesame seeds, and dried red chilies for 1 minute. Cool completely, then grind with a little water into a smooth, thick masala paste.
- 2Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high. Add onions and fry until deeply caramelised, about 15 minutes.
- 3Add ginger-garlic paste and cook 2 minutes. Add Kolhapuri masala and turmeric, stir 1 minute.
- 4Add the ground coconut-chili-spice paste and bhunao (fry) on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates.
- 5Add mutton pieces and increase heat to high. Sear and coat the mutton in the masala for 8 minutes, stirring.
- 6Add salt and enough water to just cover the meat (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 1½ hours, or pressure-cook for 25 minutes, until mutton is very tender.
- 7Uncover and simmer for 10 more minutes if the gravy needs thickening. The oil should float and the rassa should be a deep brick-red. Garnish generously with coriander and serve with bhakri (jowar flatbread) or chapati.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.