Chukka means dry, and mutton chukka or chukka varuval is a fixture of Madurai and Chettinad military hotels, the old non-vegetarian eateries of Tamil Nadu. Unlike a kuzhambu it has no gravy; the meat is cooked until tender and then roasted in a kadai with shallots and spices until everything clings to the pieces.
The flavour leans on black pepper and fennel rather than chilli powder, with gingelly oil and curry leaves giving it its southern character. The mutton should be tender inside and slightly caramelised outside, dark brown and coated in a thick masala. It is usually served as a side with rice and rasam, or as a starter.
At a glance
| Region | Tamil Nadu |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Tamil |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Course | Side dish |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 50 minutes |
| Total time | 70 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | mutton / shallots / black pepper / fennel / curry leaves |
Ingredients
For pressure cooking
- 500 g mutton (goat), small bone-in pieces
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 cup water
For the roast
- 3 tbsp gingelly oil
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 20 shallots, sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
- 1/2 tsp fennel powder
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method
- Pressure cook the mutton with turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste and 1/2 cup water for 5-6 whistles on medium heat, until tender. Let the pressure release naturally. Do not discard the stock.
- Heat gingelly oil in a heavy kadai on medium heat. Add fennel seeds, cinnamon and cloves and fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add one sprig of curry leaves and the shallots and fry for 8-10 minutes until deep golden brown. This browning gives the chukka its colour.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat and add chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir for 30 seconds, adding a splash of the mutton stock if the masala starts to stick.
- Add the cooked mutton with its stock. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring, for 10-12 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
- Add crushed pepper, fennel powder and the second sprig of curry leaves. Keep roasting on medium heat for another 5-8 minutes, scraping the pan, until the mutton turns dark brown, the masala coats each piece and oil separates.
- Check salt, finish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Tips
- Use mutton from the shoulder or leg with some fat; very lean meat turns dry when roasted.
- Crush the pepper fresh just before adding; pre-ground pepper lacks the punch this dish needs.
- Patience in the final roasting stage is what separates chukka from a semi-dry curry.
Serve with
Rice with rasam or a light dal, or as a starter with sliced onions and lemon.