There is nothing better than a delicious bowl of soup to soothe the soul. On a hot or cold day, soup always brings such comforting feelings. It’s also very versatile and any ingredient pretty much goes. This is great for those times when your pantry is looking a little sparse. One of my favorite soups is Navajo mutton stew. Because it is one of those cherished meals that is made from the heart. However, I haven’t always been a fan of mutton stew and didn’t fully appreciate it until I left home for college. After finishing my first semester of college, there was nothing I wanted more than shimá’s (my mom) mutton stew. Since then it has always been a welcome back home treat.
I recently spent a week back home in New Mexico and on mylast day of my trip my mom wanted to make sure I had mutton stew. Even though Ican technically make mutton stew whenever I want in Phoenix, nothing comparesto my mom cooking. I will never say no,to my momma’s cooking and I thought it would be a good opportunity to capture hermagic cooking. I made her nervous by taking pictures of her preparing theingredients for the stew. Usually I am asking her to take MY picture, but thistime SHE was the subject. She fumbled around with her ingredients, and I puther at ease when I told her that I wouldn’t be taking pictures of her face. Weboth laughed as I asked her to hold a pose with her hands as she gracefullydiced up a carrot.
Ever since I was little, I have always been intrigued by my mom’s cooking. If you read my Fancy Navajo Magic Bread blog post, then you know that my mom is a magician. She cooks with such ease and rarely uses a measuring cups/spoons. In fact, they are on the highest shelf in a corner cabinet of her kitchen. Everything is measured from memory and love. So, it was fun asking her to guess the measurements of what she was putting into her soup and we had to make educated guesses. I would make her laugh, by purposefully repeating the incorrect measurements back to her to see if she would catch the absurdities. She agreed to using 10lbs of mutton and 5 onions, but later said huh?? What? That’s not what I said.
I’ve noticed recently I have become more confident in my cooking and I rarely measure ingredients like my momma. As a perfectionist, when I started learning how to cook, I disliked not knowing how much of an ingredient was going into a recipe. I would stress when I didn’t have the exact amount and was always worried the recipe wouldn’t turn out well. Which is why I struggled with making tortillas for such a long time. Over the years, I have learned to not be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. Honestly some of the best meals I have ever cooked were made on the fly. But it also makes it really difficult to share recipes when you all ask.
It really is magic and that’s what I love about cooking. You really can’t mess it up if you are paying attention and being smart about it. It’s all about common sense and cooking from the soul. Which is why I get so surprised when people request soup recipes for comfort foods like mutton stew. It really is a no brainer, boil water meat and vegetables. That’s it. You can get fancy by adding spices and broths. But Navajo mutton stew has always been a simple dish.
So here is the recipe I pieced together with my mom a few weeks ago. Please keep in mind this recipe is meant feed at 8-10 people which is a larger portion than what I normally share on my blog. Please adjust to your likings. Don’t be afraid to experiment and add your own twist. Make it YOUR recipe. Happy cooking friends!
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So here is the recipe I pieced together with my mom a few weeks ago. Please keep in mind this recipe is meant feed at 8-10 people which is a larger portion than what I normally share on my blog. Please adjust to your likings. Don’t be afraid to experiment and add your own twist. Make it YOUR recipe. Happy cooking friends!
It really is magic and that’s what I love about cooking. You really can’t mess it up if you are paying attention and being smart about it. It’s all about common sense and cooking from the soul. Which is why I get so surprised when people request soup recipes for comfort foods like mutton stew. It really is a no brainer, boil water meat and vegetables. That’s it. You can get fancy by adding spices and broths. But Navajo mutton stew has always been a simple dish.
I’ve noticed recently I have become more confident in my cooking and I rarely measure ingredients like my momma. As a perfectionist, when I started learning how to cook, I disliked not knowing how much of an ingredient was going into a recipe. I would stress when I didn’t have the exact amount and was always worried the recipe wouldn’t turn out well. Which is why I struggled with making tortillas for such a long time. Over the years, I have learned to not be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. Honestly some of the best meals I have ever cooked were made on the fly. But it also makes it really difficult to share recipes when you all ask.
Ever since I was little, I have always been intrigued by my mom’s cooking. If you read my Fancy Navajo Magic Bread blog post, then you know that my mom is a magician. She cooks with such ease and rarely uses a measuring cups/spoons. In fact, they are on the highest shelf in a corner cabinet of her kitchen. Everything is measured from memory and love. So, it was fun asking her to guess the measurements of what she was putting into her soup and we had to make educated guesses. I would make her laugh, by purposefully repeating the incorrect measurements back to her to see if she would catch the absurdities. She agreed to using 10lbs of mutton and 5 onions, but later said huh?? What? That’s not what I said.
I recently spent a week back home in New Mexico and on mylast day of my trip my mom wanted to make sure I had mutton stew. Even though Ican technically make mutton stew whenever I want in Phoenix, nothing comparesto my mom cooking. I will never say no,to my momma’s cooking and I thought it would be a good opportunity to capture hermagic cooking. I made her nervous by taking pictures of her preparing theingredients for the stew. Usually I am asking her to take MY picture, but thistime SHE was the subject. She fumbled around with her ingredients, and I puther at ease when I told her that I wouldn’t be taking pictures of her face. Weboth laughed as I asked her to hold a pose with her hands as she gracefullydiced up a carrot.
Mutton isnt as popular of meat in the United States as lamb is, so youre more likely to find lamb than aged sheep meat. Given this, if mutton is hard to come by in your area, you can substitute lamb for mutton instead. Just know that lamb meat tends to be more expensive.
Although sheep meat isnt nearly as the mainstream of meat as beef or chicken are in the U.S., it does have a following. Mutton stew is part of the Navajo Nations traditional cuisine, for example. Sheepmeat is also commonly eaten by the British, Greeks, Nigerians, South Asians, New Zealanders, and Iranians. Youll find that mutton and lamb are beloved in a number of immigrant communities in America.
How authentic Irish stew is made
FAQ
Where does mutton stew come from?
Is mutton stew good for health?
What is a mutton dish?
What is mutton stew?
You could also call Mutton Stew a medley of onions, tomatoes, and vegetables like carrots, green peas, beans, and potatoes. The stew is not overpowered by the strong spices and is cooked slowly along with the vegetables. The vegetables when cooked with the mutton stock absorb the flavours of the stock and have a delectable taste.
How do you spice up mutton stew?
Add a generous amount of Pepper powder to spice up the stew along with spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. You could also call Mutton Stew a medley of onions, tomatoes, and vegetables like carrots, green peas, beans, and potatoes. The stew is not overpowered by the strong spices and is cooked slowly along with the vegetables.
How to make mutton stew in a pressure cooker?
Here is how to do simple Mutton stew. Cook the mutton with 1.5 cups water along with pepper and salt in a pressure cooker for 8-10 whistles and wait for the pressure to release naturally. Set aside. Cook the potatoes and tomatoes with half a cup water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Set aside.
How do you cook mutton stew in a crock pot?
Add the spices and meat juice from the pan. Veggies – Let come to a boil then add potatoes, carrots, and green peas. Cover and cook the mutton stew until the potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves