Saoji is a style of cooking in West part of India mainly Bhiladi region of Maharashtra. Not too many ingredients are used but the richness of the spices are the main source of taste in this meat dish. It’s hot & spicy and one has to develop the taste to appreciate this cuisine. I stumbled upon this recipe and had to cook for my Sunday lunch today. My Sunday was a blissful one only because of this dish. The hot content is not for the faint hearted

Course – Main meal

Cuisine – Maharashtra, India

Author – Madhu’s Kitchen

Difficulty level – Easy

Serves – 2 people

Preparation time -15 mins, Cooking time-50 mins

Ingredients

500 gms mutton on bones

6 Tbsp grated coconut

3 large onions chopped fine

2 Tbsp jowar atta

1 Tbsp Poppy seed

1 Tbsp stone flower

1 tsp ginger-garlic

4-5 Whole red chillo

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp green cardamom

1/2 tsp black cardamom

2-4 cloves

1” cinnamon stick

Salt as per taste

Oil to fry

Method

Chop onions, grate coconut. In a pressure cooker heat little oil and add chopped onions, grated coconut and fry till golden brown. Set aside. Cool and grate. Add little oil and heat. Add whole red chillies, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, Poppy seed, black cardamom, jower atta, stone flower, stir and set aside. Cool and grate. Heat oil and fry the mutton’s until brown in colour like for couple of mins. Set aside. Now heat oil and add grated coconut-onion paste. Stir well, add masala mix. Stir very well until oil is released. Add mutton and cost the masala with mutton very well about 3-4 mins. Add turmeric and red chilli powder, stir well. Add salt and stir well. Add 3 cups water and put on 3-5 whistles on medium flame. Switch off the flame and keep lid on until pressure is released. Plate and garnish with chopped coriander leaves