Kerala Style Mutton Pepper Fry

Kerala-style Mutton Pepper Fry is a rich and flavorful mutton dish from Kerala. It is made with tender mutton, freshly crushed black pepper, and spices. This dish is known for its bold pepper flavor and spicy taste.

Perfect for festive meals and family gatherings, it pairs beautifully with Kerala parotta, appam, ghee rice, or pathiri.

Check out the ingredients and follow the simple step-by-step instructions below. You’ll also find expert cooking tips, serving suggestions, and storage notes to enjoy this dish perfectly at home.

What is Kerala Style Mutton Pepper Fry? 

Kerala-style mutton pepper fry is a spicy, rich dish from Kerala featuring mutton (goat meat) with black pepper as the star ingredient. Traditionally, it’s slow-cooked with spices over firewood until the meat is tender and infused with bold flavors.

Traditionally prepared over firewood for a unique smoky aroma, modern versions use a pressure cooker to tenderize the meat quickly before slow-roasting it with spices.

The Kerala version stands apart from similar dishes like Tamil Nadu’s Mutton Sukka or Karnataka’s Mutton Chukka because it generously uses black pepper, coconut oil, and curry leaves.

This recipe is often made with beef in Kerala, creating the Nadan Spicy Beef Fry, another pepper-packed, slow-roasted delicacy loved across Kerala.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The main reason to love this recipe is the natural spiciness from freshly crushed peppercorns, their beautiful dark color, and that bold peppery aroma. The rich, natural fat from the mutton adds incredible depth. 

When coconut oil, curry leaves, pepper, and traditional Kerala spices come together, they create an authentic, rustic Kerala flavor you won’t forget. If you enjoy bold, home-style dishes like this, don’t miss our collection of Kerala Non-Veg Recipes.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Mutton – In India, mutton usually means goat meat, though lamb works just as well. Bone-in pieces are recommended for their rich, deep flavor.
2. Whole Black Pepper is the second star of this dish after mutton. Its bold, peppery heat sets this recipe apart from other South Indian-style mutton fry dishes. The deep, dark color comes naturally from these roasted and crushed peppercorns—no chili powders are involved.
3. Shallots – Preferred over regular Indian red onions, shallots bring a unique aroma and gentle sweetness. When sautéed in coconut oil with curry leaves, they create the deep flavors that define classic Kerala recipes.
4. Other Ingredients – You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below, along with their nutritional details.

Variations to Try

To this Mutton Pepper Fry, you can add grated coconut towards the end for a light crunch and added flavor.

The same recipe works wonderfully with pork as well, giving you a rich, Peppery Kerala Pork Fry that’s equally loved for its bold flavors.

Chicken is another easy option since it cooks faster and doesn’t require pressure cooking. However, if you’re making it with duck, it’s best to pressure cook the meat first, as it takes longer to tenderize.

How to Make Kerala Style Mutton Pepper Fry (Step-by-Step Guide)

STEP 1: Marinate the cleaned mutton pieces with the ingredients listed under marination. Keep it aside for 30 minutes. Pressure cook it up to 4-5 whistles or until mutton is done. It varies  a bit based on the meat.

STEP 2: Slice small onion. Slit green chilly lengthwise.  Heat oil in a pan. Saute onion, green chilly, curry leaves and salt. Adding salt, helps the onion to get cooked fast.

STEP 3: Grind ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Once onion turns brown, add ginger garlic paste. Saute well.

STEP 4: Crush the whole black pepper. Add it along with turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and fennel powder.  Saute well till the aromatics release the flavor.

STEP 5: Add the cooked mutton. Adjust salt and add vinegar if you need more sourness.

STEP 6: Cook for around 10 minutes or until the consistency you desire. It can be made as a dry dish or as a semi-gravy. I made it as semi-gravy.Once done, just turn off the heat and serve warm.

Tips And Tricks

1. Always use whole black pepper. Never replace it entirely with pepper powder. Lightly roast the peppercorns, let them cool, then crush for maximum flavor and aroma.
2. If pressure cooking the mutton, cook it only about 80-90%. It will finish cooking while roasting in the masala. Overcooking in the pressure cooker will make it too soft. And if you have leftover cooked mutton from this, you can easily turn it into a Mutton Curry with Coconut Milk.
3. Marinate the mutton for at least 30 minutes. This helps the spices penetrate the meat for a deeper, richer flavor.
4. Prefer shallots over onions. They give a more authentic, traditional Kerala taste and a subtle sweetness that balances the heat.

Serving Suggestions

This Nadan Mutton Kurumulaku Fry is best enjoyed with soft, flaky Kerala Parotta — a classic and unbeatable combo. It also pairs well with rice, ghee rice, or jeera rice.

In the Malabar region, up in North Kerala, it’s usually served with soft pathiri or crispy neypathiri. Many also love having it with appam, dosa, or puttu for a hearty, satisfying meal. If you prefer Indian breads, chapati, roti, and naan are great options, too. 

And if you’re feeling ambitious or hosting a special meal, you could even try making a Kerala Special Mutton Biryani using the same regional spice base.

Storage Instructions

Kerala-style Mutton Pepper Fry can be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. For longer storage, cook it dry, cool completely, and freeze in airtight containers for 1–2 months without much loss of taste.

It’s also popular for sending abroad: cooked dry, cooled, packed airtight, frozen, and placed in insulated containers for travel. On arrival, transfer directly to the freezer. For best quality, consume within 1–2 months and avoid prolonged freezing.Known for its bold, peppery heat, this dish is perfect for spice lovers. If you prefer something milder and creamier, you can try our comforting Creamy Kerala-style Mutton Stew.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

More Kerala Style Fry Recipes To Try

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have tried this! Please leave a ⭐️ rating and a comment below. Don’t forget to share your photos on Instagram and tag @a_little_bit_of_spice

Kerala Style Mutton Pepper Fry

Jane Jojo

Mutton pieces cooked and roasted with pepper and spices. It tastes great along with porotta, any sort of rice variants ( ghee rice, pulao, normal rice) and any Indian bread

3.58 from 21 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine kerala

Servings 5 serving

Calories 96 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 kilogram mutton

Marination

• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ ½ tablespoon ginger (crushed)
• ▢ ½ tablespoon garlic (crushed)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pepper powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ▢ salt
• ▢ 11/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ cup water

Masala

• ▢ 2 Cups Shallots / Small onion
• ▢ 3 numbers green chili
• ▢ 2 sprigs curry leaves
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ginger (crushed)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic (crushed)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoon fennel powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Whole black pepper
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon vinegar (optional)
• ▢ 2 sprig curry leaves numbers
• ▢ salt

Instructions

 

• Marinate the cleaned mutton pieces with the ingredients listed under marination. Keep it aside for 30 minutes. Pressure cook it up to 4-5 whistles or until mutton is done. It varies  a bit based on the meat.
• Slice small onion. Slit green chilly lengthwise.  Heat oil in a pan. Saute onion, green chilly, curry leaves and salt. Adding salt, helps the onion to get cooked fast.
• Grind ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Once onion turns brown, add ginger garlic paste. Saute well.
• Crush the whole black pepper. Add it along with turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and fennel powder.  Saute well till the aromatics release the flavor.
• Add the cooked mutton. Adjust salt and add vinegar if you need more sourness.
• Cook for around 10 minutes or until the consistency you desire. It can be made as a dry or as a semi gravy. I made it as semi gravy.Once done, just turn off the heat and serve warm.

Notes

1. Always use whole black pepper. Never replace it entirely with pepper powder. Lightly roast the peppercorns, let them cool, then crush for maximum flavor and aroma.
2. If pressure cooking the mutton, cook it only about 80-90%. It will finish cooking while roasting in the masala. Overcooking in the pressure cooker will make it too soft. 
3. Marinate the mutton for at least 30 minutes. This helps the spices penetrate the meat for a deeper, richer flavor.
4. Prefer shallots over onions. They give a more authentic, traditional Kerala taste and a subtle sweetness that balances the heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 258gCalories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 18mgPotassium: 439mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 117IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 2mg

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