Of the regional meat specialities Pakistan has to offer—nihari and siri-paya from Karachi, kadai-ghosht and kebabs from Lahore, grilled meats from Baluchistan, teewarn from Sindh—kunna from the Chiniot region is probably the least known. It does not make an appearance at the table frequently even in Pakistan because it is a time-consuming and complicated dish to make. The efforts are richly rewarded, though with an unsurpassed taste experience; it is a rich delicacy with a complex flavour—which it gets from the stock in which it’s cooked. The meat is so tender and luscious that it falls off the bone. This is not a dish for the weak-wristed since there is much stirring involved; neither is it for cholesterol phobics, since authentic kunna is always made in pure ghee.
Much like the Tajine of Morocco, kunna refers to the dish as well as the utensil in which it is cooked. The utensil in this case, is a clay handi with a lid. Historically, the kunna would be buried underground in hot ashes and left to simmer for hours. The result was the most succulent mutton ever. You don’t need to dig a pit to make an authentic kunna and you’ll get the same stunning result on a gas fire. The following recipe is from a famous TV chef of Pakistan, chef Gulzar. It should be enough for four very hungry people.
For the kunna masala:
● Black cumin- 6 tbsp
● Mace- 1 tbsp
● Whole coriander- 8 tbsp
● Black pepper- 2 tbsp
● Star anise- 2 pieces
● Cloves- 1 tbsp
● Green cardamom- 1 tbsp
Dry roast the spices individually until they release their aroma. Grind them to a fine powder together and store in an airtight jar.
The stock:
Take 2 pieces of cleaned and lightly cracked goat trotters and simmer them in about 3 litres of water with a few cloves of crushed garlic for about 5 to 6 hours until trotters are well cooked. Keep topping the water periodically—have about 4 cups of stock. Strain and discard the trotters.
For the kunna:
Leg of mutton on the bone, cut into large pieces- 1 kg
● Finely chopped onions- 2
● Raw papaya paste- about 1 tbsp
● Kunna masala- 1 tbsp
● Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tbsp
● Red chilli powder- 2 tbsp (or less if you’d prefer it milder)
● Turmeric- 1 tsp
● Dry roasted wheat flour- 2 tbsp (leave if you’d like a thinner gravy)
● Pure ghee- 1 cup
● Salt to taste
● Slivers of ginger to garnish
Marinate the mutton in raw papaya paste for a couple of hours. Heat ghee in a handi or a heavy-based pan and fry the onion until golden. Add the marinated meat and sauté until it loses its rawness. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté the meat on a high flame for 5 to 7 minutes. Cover for a few minutes so the mutton releases its juices. Sauté again. Now add turmeric, red chilli powder, kunna masala and salt. Saute till the spices are well cooked and the meat looks golden. Add the stock, cover and cook on a medium flame till the meat is tender. Mix wheat flour with some water and add gradually to the kunna until you get the desired consistency. The gravy should not be too thick. Let it boil for about five minutes and then take it off and rest it for about 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with slivers of ginger and serve with naan or khameeri roti.