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Mutton Dalcha (Hyderabadi)

140 min Medium 6 servings

Serves 6 · Total 140 min · Prep 40 min · Cook 100 min

Updated on 6 November 2026

A thick, tangy Hyderabadi stew of mutton, chana daal, bottle gourd and tamarind, finished with a sizzling tarka of curry leaves, garlic and whole red chillies. Urdu-speaking families with Deccan roots serve it with plain rice, bagara khana or biryani as the sour side.

Quick answer: 140 min in total · serves 6 · main ingredients: Mutton, Split chickpeas, Bottle gourd, Onion · amounts in metric and US

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Ingredients

Metric US

400 g 0.9 lb Mutton, bone-in, cut into pieces
150 g 0.75 cup Split chickpeas, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
300 g 10 oz Bottle gourd, bottle gourd, peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces
2 pc 2 pc Onion, thinly sliced
2 pc 2 pc Tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger, made into a paste
6 clove 6 clove Garlic, 3 made into paste, 3 sliced for the tarka
0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp Turmeric
1.5 tsp 1.5 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp 1 tsp Coriander powder
3 tbsp 3 tbsp Tamarind, tamarind pulp
3 pc 3 pc Green chilli, slit
1 tsp 1 tsp Cumin seeds
0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp Mustard seeds
3 pc 3 pc Whole red chilli
12 pc 12 pc Curry leaves, leaves
60 ml 0.25 cup Cooking oil
to taste to taste Salt
3 tbsp 3 tbsp Coriander, finely chopped (Optional)

Steps

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Wash the chana daal, cover with water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain.
⏱ Soaking the daal · 30 min
In a large heavy pot, heat half the oil and fry one sliced onion for 5 minutes. Add the mutton, ginger paste, the 3 garlic cloves made into paste, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, green chillies, salt and 1 litre of hot water. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
⏱ Cooking the mutton · 60 min
Add the drained chana daal and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not stick.
⏱ Cooking the daal · 25 min
Add the bottle gourd, tomatoes and tamarind pulp. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the gourd is soft and the daal has begun to fall apart.
⏱ Cooking the gourd · 15 min
Mash the daal and gourd lightly against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon for about 2 minutes. The dalcha should be thick but still pourable; add hot water if it is too thick, and adjust salt.
⏱ Mashing · 2 min
For the tarka, heat the remaining oil in a small pan. Add the cumin, mustard seeds, whole red chillies, curry leaves, the 3 sliced garlic cloves and the second onion, sliced, and fry for about 3 minutes until golden. Pour it over the dalcha, cover for 2 minutes, garnish with coriander and serve.
⏱ Making the tarka · 5 min

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Frequently asked questions

How long does Mutton Dalcha (Hyderabadi) take?

140 minutes in total: about 40 minutes of prep and 100 minutes of cooking.

Is Mutton Dalcha (Hyderabadi) hard to make?

Degchi rates it medium. The method has 6 steps, and 6 of them have a timer you can start on this page.

How many people does Mutton Dalcha (Hyderabadi) serve?

This recipe serves 6. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.

Is Mutton Dalcha (Hyderabadi) halal, vegetarian or eggless?

It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is not vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.

What will I probably need to buy for Mutton Dalcha (Hyderabadi)?

Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: turmeric, red chilli powder, cooking oil, salt. Spice-box items: coriander powder, tamarind, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole red chilli. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: mutton, bottle gourd, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilli, curry leaves. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: split chickpeas.

Any tips for making Mutton Dalcha (Hyderabadi)?

Dalcha thickens as it cools; loosen with a splash of hot water when reheating, and heat it until steaming hot. Lemon juice can stand in for tamarind if you do not have it; add it at the end.