Anam Hassan’s mother gave her a secret weapon a unique mutton ishtoo cooked in her Mughal aristocratic household once upon a time. India is the land of the multi-avatar stew, the simplest of complex dishes to grace any table. There are as many kinds as there are spellings: ishtoo, ishtu, ishtew, stoo made with diverse kinds of flesh like beef, lamb, goat, chicken, and game. The ishtoos of Rampur, Lucknow, Bhopal, Bengal and Kerala differ in colour, taste and texture.
The main difference between Kerala ishtu and the ishtoo is the base the former’s is coconut milk and coconut oil, and the latter’s is onion and ghee. Their commonality is mildness of flavour. The ishtoo uses whole spices such as cloves, cardamom and nutmeg. It has definite texture and aroma, with its grainy feel of minced onion and the scent of subdued garlic. The Kerala stoo smells of coconut and sliced onion; its non-vegetarian version is thicker and heavier to consume. In both stews, the meat is served on t