A slow-cooked mutton preparation with a distinct spice blend from Rampur — a princely state whose Nawabs developed their own court cuisine influenced by both Awadhi and Mughal traditions, with a specific masala that includes star anise and a heavier use of black cardamom than other UP preparations.
Ingredients
700 g mutton — bone-in pieces
1 cup yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt — marinade 3 hours
For the Rampuri masala:
3 tbsp ghee, 2 onions — finely sliced and fried to deep golden birista
1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste
3 black cardamom, 4 green cardamom, 1 star anise, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 bay leaf
Fry birista: Fry sliced onions in ghee until very dark golden. Remove half for garnish.
Mix half birista into marinade: Mix the remaining fried onion into the yogurt marinade with the mutton.
Heat the ghee from birista frying: Add whole spices — both types of cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. The star anise is the specifically Rampuri touch — not used in standard Awadhi cooking.
Add ginger and garlic: Cook 2 minutes.
Add spice powders: Turn low. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric. Stir 2 minutes.
Add marinated mutton: Add mutton with all marinade. Cook on medium-high stirring every 3 minutes for 12 minutes as the yogurt reduces.
Add water and salt: Add 1.5 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil.
Slow cook: Cover tightly. Reduce to lowest heat. Cook 55 to 60 minutes until mutton is completely tender.
Add garam masala: Add garam masala. Stir gently.
Serve: Garnish with reserved birista and coriander. Serve with naan or rice.
Note: Rampur — the small Nawabi state in western Uttar Pradesh between Bareilly and Moradabad — had a disproportionately large cultural impact given its size. The Rampur court maintained a library of over 15,000 manuscripts, a school of classical music (the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana) and a distinct culinary tradition. The Rampuri knife (known for its distinctive folding blade) and the Rampuri cooking tradition are both named for this small but culturally significant princely state.