Kashmir Harisa Slow Cooked Mutton Wheat Winter Porridge

Ingredients

• 500g bone-in mutton — shoulder preferred
• 1 cup whole wheat grains — soaked overnight and drained
• 4 tbsp ghee plus extra to pour on top
• 1 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tsp dry ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 5 cups water
• Salt to taste
• For serving: extra ghee, fried onions, Kashmiri chilli powder

Method

1. Place mutton and drained wheat grains in a heavy pot with 5 cups water.
2. Bring to a boil. Skim all foam.
3. Add fennel powder, dry ginger powder, cardamom powder and asafoetida.
4. Reduce to the absolute lowest heat. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours stirring every 30 minutes.
5. The mutton will fall completely off the bone and the wheat will break down into a thick porridge-like consistency.
6. Add 4 tbsp ghee. Stir vigorously — the mutton fibres and wheat merge into a uniform thick shredded consistency. Add salt.
7. Cook covered for 30 to 60 more minutes stirring regularly until the harisa is thick and the oil floats visibly on top.
8. Serve in bowls with a generous pour of fresh ghee on top, crispy fried onions and a pinch of Kashmiri red chilli powder.