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Tamilnadu · Dinner

Aattu Kaal Varuval (Mutton Trotters Dry Fry)

Mutton trotters slow-cooked until the gelatinous joints are tender, then dry-fried in sesame oil with freshly ground pepper-coconut masala until the exterior is caramelised and darkened. A weekend dinner dish prized for its collagen richness and deep, bone-extracted flavour.

🧺 Ingredients

• 1 kg mutton trotters (aattu kaal), cleaned and cut into 5–6 cm sections (butcher does this)
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp fennel powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• 4 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 sprigs curry leaves
• Small handful coriander leaves for garnish
• 2 tbsp black pepper, whole (coarsely crack in mortar — not ground)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ cup fresh grated coconut
• Grind together to a coarse paste with 2 tbsp water
• 8 whistles is the minimum for trotters — they require significantly longer cooking than regular mutton cuts due to dense connective tissue.

👩‍🍳 How to make Aattu Kaal Varuval

1. Pressure cook the trotters (high heat, then medium): Wash trotters thoroughly. In a large pressure cooker, add trotters, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt, and 3 cups water. Cook on high until steam, reduce to medium, cook 8 whistles. Release naturally. The trotters are done when the joints are soft, the skin is gelatinous, and the bone marrow can be pushed out with a knife tip. If still firm, cook 2–3 more whistles.
2. Drain and reserve the stock: Drain the trotters. Reserve the cooking stock (rich, gelatinous — use for soup or rasam).
3. Fry onions (medium heat): Heat sesame oil in a wide kadai. Add onions — fry 10–12 minutes until golden-brown. Add ginger-garlic paste — fry 2 minutes.
4. Add spice powders (medium heat): Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, and remaining turmeric. Fry 1 minute. Add curry leaves.
5. Add the pressure-cooked trotters (medium-high heat): Add the trotters. Toss well in the masala. Fry on medium-high for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, until all surfaces are coated in the masala and beginning to brown.
6. Add the pepper-coconut paste (medium heat): Add the freshly ground pepper-coconut paste. Stir thoroughly — coat every trotter piece. The coconut will begin to caramelise on the surface of the trotters. Cook on medium for 5–6 minutes, tossing regularly.
7. Final dry-out (medium-high heat): Cook on medium-high for 8–10 more minutes, tossing every 2 minutes, until the coconut is caramelised dark and the masala is dry. The trotters should look dark, slightly sticky, and deeply fragrant. The pepper aroma should be very strong.
8. Garnish and serve: Scatter coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice and milagu rasam (pepper rasam) for a full dinner.

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