Laal Maas, also called Laal Maans, is a wonderful mutton curry that is a signature dish from Rajasthan, India. This famous dish features a bright, spicy red sauce full of amazing flavors. To make it, you carefully mix together select spices, tangy yogurt, and a key ingredient: the Mathania chili. This special chili, found only in Rajasthan's Mathania region, gives the mutton curry its unique taste and its signature deep red color. Below is the step-by-step recipe for authentic Laal Maas, with a video to guide you.
Jump to:
- Laal Maas, a favorite mutton delicacy from Rajasthan
- Is Junglee Maas Laal Maas's ancestor? What does history say?
- Check out our video for how to make authentic Laal Maas at home
- Laal Maas Ingredient
- How to cook Laal Maas at home
- Top tip - laal maas recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions - laal maas
- Recipe Card
- Related Recipes
- Pairing Laal Maas
- Easy Recipes to try
- Have you tried the Rajasthani Laal Maas recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Laal Maas recipe pin for your Pinterest board!
Laal Maas, a favorite mutton delicacy from Rajasthan
Cooking mutton was a customary event in our home on Sundays, whether it be preparing it ourselves or ordering our favorite mutton biryani, or just cooking it at home. However, we have now reduced our mutton consumption to once a month. We take necessary precautions to maintain a balanced diet. Our daughter, Pasta, has a condition - she can only have mutton twice a month, but when we do have it, she expects the best. Consequently, both Mehebub and I have become selective about the recipes we choose. Take, for example, the laal maas I made two weeks ago. It goes without saying that I followed all the essential steps in cooking laal maas. Are you familiar with them?
Is Junglee Maas Laal Maas's ancestor? What does history say?
Laal Maas, an undisputed favorite in Rajasthan, holds a special place in the hearts of Indian cuisine enthusiasts. Its flavor profile is unparalleled and exquisite. However, one cannot discuss Laal Maas without recognizing its predecessor, Jangli Maas, which has a rich history and is deeply rooted in Rajasthan's culinary heritage.
Jangli Maas originated during a time when hunting was a popular pastime among the royalty and nobility of Rajasthan. It was created to make use of the game meat obtained during these thrilling expeditions. Initially, boar and deer were the preferred choices of meat for this dish. However, their strong aroma did not appeal to everyone's taste buds. Legend has it that a king desired a curry similar to Jangli Maas, but without the overpowering scent. In response, his cook introduced mutton to the dish, revolutionizing its flavor and transforming it into the beloved Laal Maas we cherish today.
When it comes to perfecting Laal Maas, the inclusion of Mathania Chili is absolutely essential.
Laal Maas, a dish hailing from Rajasthan, derives its vibrant red color from the Mathania chili. Its unique blend of gentle spiciness and delicate sweetness is only fully realized through the careful process of slow cooking, allowing the flavors to fully develop over time on low heat.
Check out our video for how to make authentic Laal Maas at home
Laal Maas Ingredient
Today, the fame of Laal Maas extends far beyond Rajasthan, captivating the taste buds of people all over India and beyond. Each region has added its own touch to the recipe, resulting in a multitude of adaptations. However, the core ingredients of Mathania chili and mutton remain unchanged, ensuring that the dish retains its distinctive flavor profile.
How to cook Laal Maas at home
Time needed: 2 hours
Laal Maas is a dish that has stood the test of time and continues to be a beloved delicacy in Rajasthan and beyond. Its unique flavor and history make it a must-try for anyone visiting the region.
- Marinate the mutton
To enhance the taste, let the mutton soak in a mixture of salt, ginger, and garlic paste for a minimum of 4 hours (I prefer a generous 8-hour marination). Allow it to rest at room temperature. The longer the marination, the richer the flavor will become.
- Make Mathania Chili Paste
To cook perfect laal maas, you need Mathania chili. First, take out the seeds and soak the skin. Then, make a paste with the chillies.
- Spice Paste is a must
There is a debate about whether to add a spice paste, including cumin, coriander, degi mirch, turmeric, salt, and yogurt, along with the mandatory ingredient - mustard oil, when cooking authentic laal maas. However, the standardized recipe requires this paste.
- Chop chop chop
Remove the skin and chop onions!
- Ghee- another mandatory ingredient
Use a heavy-bottomed vessel to heat the ghee while cooking. Check the video and recipe card for further details.
- Tempering
Temper Ghee with selected spices.
- Frying onion
Add the onion and fry those
- Cooking mutton - stage 1
Add mutton and let it cook for a while with salt and ginger-garlic.
- Mathania Chili paste- a must to cook laal maas
Add the chili paste and slow cook
- Spice paste
Now, incorporate the spice paste and cook
- Slow cooking mutton to reach perfection
Cook for at least one hour from this point forward to reach perfection - laal maans.
- Resting time - a must for authentic laal maans cooking
Once the cooking process is complete, turn off the flame. Allow the Laal Maas to rest for 2-3 hours before serving. This resting period will ensure that the flavors are fully infused.
Top tip - laal maas recipe
Making Laal Maas requires patience, skill, and expertise. Choosing the meat carefully and marinating it with spices and yogurt is important for great taste and tenderness. Adding mathania chili gives the curry its bright red color and bold flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions - laal maas
In the past, laal maas was traditionally prepared using game meat in Rajasthan. However, this renowned dish has evolved, and today it is predominantly made with mutton or goat meat.
Laal Maas hails from Rajasthan, while Rogan Josh is native to Kashmir. Though both are lamb curries and share a striking red hue, these dishes diverge greatly in terms of flavor. Laal Maas achieves its color with the use of Mathania Chili, while Rathanjoth is employed for the red tint in Rogan Josh. Furthermore, the spice compositions of the two curries are entirely distinct.
The secret to Laal Maas's distinct flavor lies in the use of a special ingredient called mathania chili. This chili is grown in the Mathania region of Rajasthan and is known for its fiery heat and bright red color.
The Mathania chili is carefully selected and dried in the sun before being ground into a fine powder. It is then mixed with a blend of other spices such as cumin, coriander, and turmeric to create a flavorful spice mix that is used to marinate the meat for Laal Maans.
Recipe Card
Rajasthani Laal Maas Recipe | Laal Maans | Ratto Maas
Equipment
- 1 vessel with lid heavy-duty to cook mutton
- 1 metal spatula
- 4-5 Bowls
- 1 Chopping Board
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 1 kg Mutton with bone
- 300 g Onion
- 2.5 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 1.5 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 75 g Ghee
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt
To make Mathania Chili Paste
- 20 Mathania Chillies
To make Spice Paste
- 250 g Plain curd/ Plain Yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder degi mirch
- 3 tablespoon Mustard Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Whole Spices
- 2 Cinnamon Stick
- 5 Green Cardamom
- 5 Cloves
Instructions
Marination
- In a bowl, place 1 Kg of curry-cut mutton with bone. Include 1.5 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 tablespoon of garlic paste, and 1 tablespoon of ginger paste.
- Mix well and let the mutton sit at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours. If feasible, allow the mutton to marinate for a duration of 8 hours.
Mathania Chili Paste
- To make a delicious Laal Maas dish with about 1kg of meat, you'll need to have 20 Mathania Chilies on hand.
- Start by slicing the 20 Mathania Chilies and removing their seeds.
- After that, soak the chili skins in a bowl of hot water for half an hour, and discard the seeds.
- Once they're soaked, take 2 tablespoons of water from the soaking bowl, along with the chilies, and blend them into a thick paste.
- Lastly, peel and roughly chop 300g of onions.
Spice Paste
- In a bowl, place 250g of Plain curd.
- Combine 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder, 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder, 1 teaspoon Degi Mirch, and 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder. Thoroughly mix the ingredients together.
- Next, add 1 teaspoon Salt and 3 tablespoon Mustard Oil to the mixture, then continue mixing.
- Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature.
Prep Work
- Finally, peel and roughly chop 300g of onions.
Cooking
- Start by heating 75ml of ghee in the pot.
- Once melted, add 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 cloves, 5 green cardamom pods, and 4 bay leaves to temper the ghee.
- Next, add the chopped onions and fry them for 3 minutes over medium heat, being careful not to brown them.
- After that, add the marinated mutton and fry it on low heat for 5 minutes.
- You'll notice the mutton lightly browning.
- Now, add 1 tablespoon of garlic paste and ½ tablespoon of ginger paste, and continue to shallow fry for another 5 minutes.
- At this point, the mutton will start releasing moisture.
- Add the Mathania chili paste and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat.
- I recommend rinsing the bowl with 3 tablespoons of water and adding it to the pot.
- You'll see that the mutton not only releases more moisture but also takes on a vibrant red color.
- Finally, add the spice paste and mix thoroughly. In the bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture.
- Stir continuously as you slow-cook the ingredients over low heat for 10 minutes. Throughout this process, avoid covering the vessel with a lid and continue stirring.
- The mutton should have been cooked for a total of 30 minutes over low heat, following different steps. Now, reduce the flame and cover the mutton with a lid. The cooking time for the laal maas will vary between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the quality of the mutton.
- Every 15 minutes, you can open the lid and stir it. After 45 minutes, check if the mutton is fully cooked. If not, cook it for an additional 10 minutes. In my case, it took 1 hour instead of 45 minutes after covering with the lid. This implies that you should cook the mutton for at least 1.5 hours over low heat to achieve the desired flavors of the iconic Laal Maas.
- Once the cooking process is complete, turn off the flame. Allow the Laal Maas to rest for 2-3 hours before serving. This resting period will ensure that the flavors are fully infused.
- Serve Laal Maas hot with your choice of carbohydrate such as rice, roti, naan, pulao etc and enjoy this delicacy.
Video
Notes
- Don't worry, using this amount of chilies won't make your Mutton Curry overly spicy. Trust me, the true essence of Laal Maas lies not in its spiciness, but rather in the vibrant color and well-balanced flavor that these iconic Mathania Chilies bring. The key is to cook the meat for hours with this specific type of chili, allowing the chilies to release their natural sugars and create a stunning hue. Traditionally, Laal Maas doesn't call for Kashmiri Red Chili or Tomatoes. To achieve the distinctive red color and, more importantly, the unique flavor, it's essential to use Mathania Chilies.
- Personally, I like to save these seeds and use them to grow chili plants in the future.
- Although some argue that traditional laal maas do not include Cumin and coriander, the modern version in Rajasthan commonly includes these spices. Personally, I enjoy the taste of both but feel free to omit them if desired.
- The mustard oil not only provides a distinct pungent flavor, but also helps balance the fat in the dish.
- I prefer to cook Laal Maas on Sundays. I aim to begin preparing the dish at approximately 2 p.m. and finish cooking it by 4 p.m., allowing me to serve it for dinner in about 5 to 6 hours.
- Use a sturdy, lidded pot to make laal maas; avoid using a pressure cooker. The key to achieving the right flavor is slow cooking, which allows the chilies to release their sugar content.
Nutrition
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing Laal Maas
We generally serve Laal Maas with rice or naan bread. This is often accompanied by a side of raita, which is a yogurt-based condiment that helps to cool down the heat from the curry. However, you can serve it with a choice of Pula.o These are my favorite Pulao Recipes.
Easy Recipes to try
- Morshumi Sobji diye Murgir Jhol (also known as Light Chicken Curry with Seasonal Vegetables - Winter Version)
- Shorshe Bata Diye Macher Jhal (also known as Bengali-style Fish in Mustard-based Curry)
- Robibarer Murgir Jhol from my Mother's Kitchen (also known as Bengali Chicken Curry)
- Bengali Mete Chorchori (also known as Bengali Mutton Liver Curry)
- Bengali Keema Curry (also known as Mutton Mince Curry with Potato Chunks)
- Phulkopi Aloo diye Chingri Kaliya (also known as Bengali Prawn Curry with Potato and Cauliflower)
- Begun Basanti aka Bengali Begun Bashonti
- Shorshe Bata diye Parshe Macher Jhal (also known as Mullet Fish in Mustard Gravy)
- Piajkoli ar Aloo diye Tangra Macher Jhol (also known as Bengali Light fish curry prepared with Tyangra Maach, Onion Stalks and Potato)
- Nalli Nihari | Mutton Nihari Recipe (also known as Gosht Nihari)
- Punjabi Kadhi (also known as Kadhi Pakoda)
- Palak Paneer (also known as Saag Paneer)
- Potol Mishti | Halwai style Parwal Ki Mithai (also known as Kheer Potol)
Have you tried the Rajasthani Laal Maas recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
Here's the Laal Maas recipe pin for your Pinterest board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
Leave a Reply