Among the myriad renowned Bengali dishes is one dish that never fails
to impress anyone. It's the Spicy Bengali Mutton Curry aka Kosha
Mangsho! It's a known fact that most Bengalis live to eat and not the
other way round, and most of them have grown up licking their fingers to
Kosha Mangsho's velvety gravy and biting into the juicy pieces of the
meat, cooked lovingly by their grandmothers and mothers. Today, we bring
you the recipe of this sumptuous dish straight from a Bengali kitchen.
Ingredients
750 grams mutton
3 medium sized potatoes cut into equal halves (Optional)
1-2 tbsp of mustard oil to fry the potatoes
3-4 medium sized onions
1 tsp garam masala
1 ½ tsp meat masala
750 grams mutton
3 medium sized potatoes cut into equal halves (Optional)
1-2 tbsp of mustard oil to fry the potatoes
3-4 medium sized onions
1 tsp garam masala
1 ½ tsp meat masala
To marinate the mutton
7-8 cloves of garlic
1 ½ inch thick ginger
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 ½ tsp red pepper powder
1 ½ tsp coriander powder
1 ½ tsp salt
4 heaped tbsp of yogurt
7-8 cloves of garlic
1 ½ inch thick ginger
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 ½ tsp red pepper powder
1 ½ tsp coriander powder
1 ½ tsp salt
4 heaped tbsp of yogurt
To temper
10 - 12 black peppers (uncrushed)
3 bay leaves
4 whole cardamoms
5 cloves
½ inch long cinnamon stick
1 tsp of sugar
½ cup mustard oil
10 - 12 black peppers (uncrushed)
3 bay leaves
4 whole cardamoms
5 cloves
½ inch long cinnamon stick
1 tsp of sugar
½ cup mustard oil
Method
Marinating the mutton
1. Bring together garlic, ginger and onions. Grind them together in a mixer to make a smooth paste.
1. Bring together garlic, ginger and onions. Grind them together in a mixer to make a smooth paste.
2. Wash and clean the mutton. Add to it the ingredients for the
marinade - yogurt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red pepper powder,
some mustard oil, and half of the ginger/garlic/onion paste. Let it
rest for about 2 hours. If you have time on your hands, let it rest
overnight. Ensure that you prick the mutton with a fork so that it
absorbs all the flavours.
3. Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a wok. Fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown. Keep them aside.
Cooking the mutton
1. Heat the remaining mustard oil in another wok. Add some turmeric to it. Then, temper it with the black pepper, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, and cardamom. Also add sugar to it. The sugar gives a nice red colour to the gravy and also contributes to the subtle sweetness of the spicy gravy.
1. Heat the remaining mustard oil in another wok. Add some turmeric to it. Then, temper it with the black pepper, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, and cardamom. Also add sugar to it. The sugar gives a nice red colour to the gravy and also contributes to the subtle sweetness of the spicy gravy.
2. Add the remaining onion paste along with meat masala and fry for
about 5 minutes. You'll notice the oil separating from the mixture.
3. Now add the marinated mutton. Cook at a low flame for about half and hour.
4. Add 2 cups water (depending on how much gravy you want) and cover
the wok. Let the mutton cook for at least an hour now till the mutton
becomes soft and succulent. All this while, ensure that the flame is at
its lowest.
5. Now, add the fried potatoes and garam masala, and give it good
stir. Let it cool for sometime and then sprinkle freshly chopped
coriander leaves.
Serve hot with either steamed rice, maida luchi (pooris) or parathas.
Follow it up with Bengali desserts like mishti doi or soft roshogullas!