Goan Xacuti Mutton Pulao

 Marinating Ingredients:
1.5 kilogram mutton (I used Goat leg)
1 tsp salt
4 teaspoon ginger/garlic / green chilli paste

Masala Ingredients (to roast and grind):
2 medium onions (chopped fine)
10 dry red chilies (I used byadgi chilies)
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon peppercorn
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoon poppy seeds
3 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 inch cinnamon
10 cloves
1 star anise
2 pieces mace
5 cardamom
7 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon coconut oil for roasting (Optional)

Other Ingredients: 1 medium onion (chopped fine)
1.5 inch tamarind ball (soak in 1/2 cup hot water to extract pulp)
oil for frying/sauteing
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar (Optional)

Ingredients for Pulao:
3 to 3-1/2 cups Rice
2 pcs. of Bay Leaves
1 inch Cinnamon stick
1 pc star
3-4 pcs. of Cloves

Ingredients for Raita:
2 cups of Curd
1 no. of Cucumber finely chopped
1 no. of Onion finely chopped
1 - 2 Green Chilli finely chopped
Salt as per taste
Few strands of Hara Dhaniya

Method to make Xacuti:

Clean, wash, cut and marinate the mutton. Apply salt and ginger/garlic paste, and keep aside for an hour. Dry roast the spices in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Do not let the spices burn or it will make the curry bitter to taste. Roast the coconut next. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to the desiccated coconut. Once the coconut starts to brown, add the 1/2 teaspoon turmeric to it. Roast the garlic and 2 chopped onions next. Again, brown but do not let burn. Once all the spices are roasted, grind them to a thick, smooth paste.
Pre-cook the mutton until it's almost fully cooked with a cup or two of water. Do not discard the stock once it's cooked, we will use it later. Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a pot, and saute the chopped onion in it. Once the onion turns translucent, add the ground masala paste to it. Fry on medium heat for a few minutes. You will notice the masala paste darkening as you're frying it. Once it starts to dry and leave the sides of the pot, add a couple cups of the stock to it. Mix well and let it come to a boil. Once the curry base comes to a boil, add the pre-cooked mutton to the pot next along with the tamarind stock and bring the curry back to a boil. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or so. Taste for salt and add a pinch or two of sugar to the curry before turning off the heat.

 Method to make Pulao:

Take rice in a heavy bottom pan and wash the same thoroughly. Now add other ingredients and allow rice to boil. After rice is boiled drain out the water and wash the rice in a cold water. Now take rice in a thick pan and add Xacuti Mutton and mix nicely and cover the pan and cook on a low gas for 10 - 15 minutes till rice is properly cooked. Once ready serve Goan Xacuti Pulao along with Raita.... enjoy!

Method to make Raita:

Whrisk the curd nicely and add finely chopped onion, cucumber, green chillies, hara dhaniya & salt and mix well and serve along with Goan Xacuti Mutton Pulao.