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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Dal & Curries » Mutton Curries » Kosha Mangsho (Bengali Style Mutton Curry)

    Published: Jan 5, 2021 | Last Updated On: Feb 26, 2023 by Neha Mathur | This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Kosha Mangsho (Bengali Style Mutton Curry)

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    Jump to Recipe

    Kosha Mangsho (Mutton Kosha, Mutton Kasha) is a delicious spicy Bengali-style mutton curry full of flavors from mutton (goat meat), spices, and mustard oil. Here is how to make it in the traditional style (gluten-free).

    Here are some more authentic Bengali recipes, that you might want to try – Begun Bhaja, Doi Murgi, Cholar Dal, Chicken Rezala, Bengali Aloo Dum, Bengali Mishti Pulao, and Chaler Payesh. 

    Kosha mangsho served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • About Kosha Mangsho
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make Kosha Mangsho
    • Pro Tips By Neha
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • You Might Also Like
    • Recipe Card

    About Kosha Mangsho

    Kosha Mangsho (Mutton Kosha, Mutton Kasha) is a very popular traditional curry in Bengal, and its literal meaning is sautéed meat. It is made with mutton (goat meat), onions, spices, and other basic ingredients.

    Mangsho means meat, and the word Kosha comes from Koshnao, which means cooking on slow heat with spices.

    Slow cooking is the key to making the best Bengali mutton kosha recipe. It is a labor of love that holds an exceptional place in Bengali cuisine and people’s heart.

    The curry, along with mutton pieces, is slow-cooked over low flame for a very long time, and it turns into this rich, dark-brown velvety goodness with melt-in-the-mouth mutton.

    This thick gravy made with the robust flavors of mutton is a favorite in every Bengali household. It is made for special occasions, including birthdays, weddings, and festivals like Durga Puja and Poila Baisakh.

    It is also a staple curry in many Bengali households on Sunday mornings.

    A little high on the spice quotient, Kosha Mangsho or Bengali style mutton curry is mainly served with soft Bengali luchi (puffed fried bread) or a portion of the delicious Bengali mishti pulao (lightly sweetened rice).

    This dish is traditionally made in an iron kadai which gives it a deep dark brown color. But if you don’t own one, make it in a regular pan. There will be a slight difference in taste and color, but it will still be very delicious.

    This dish is gluten-free, and the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.

    Ingredients

    Kosha mangsho marination ingredients.

    For Marination

    Mutton is marinated so that it becomes tender and soaks up the flavors nicely. To marinate the mutton, you will need thick plain yogurt (dahi) or Greek yogurt, ginger garlic paste, and mustard oil.

    It is traditionally made with bone-in goat mutton. Meat from the shoulder or the hind legs is best for curries. Ask your butcher to cut you from these areas. Wash the mutton very well before using and drain all the excess water.

    If goat meat is not available, you can use lamb in its place.

    Variations – Make the same recipe by replacing mutton with chicken, raw jackfruit, cauliflower, eggs, soya chunks, or paneer. Cooking time will be significantly less, so keep that in mind.

    Kosha Mangsho ingredients 1
    Kosha mangsho ingredients 2
    Kosha mangsho ingredients 3.

    For The Curry

    Oil – The mustard oil brings out the flavor of this curry. If not mustard oil, then you can use any vegetable oil or even ghee.

    Whole Spices – To make the curry, you will need whole spices such as – black cardamoms (badi elaichi), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), cinnamon (dalchini), cloves (laung), dry red chilies, and bay leaves (tejpatta). When infused in hot oil, these release a pleasant aroma and flavor up the curry.

    Potatoes – No Bengali mutton curry is complete without a few pieces of potatoes added to it.

    Spice Powders – To enhance the flavor, you will need coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder.

    Others – You will also need plain yogurt (dahi, curd), onions, fresh ginger, garlic, green chillies, ghee, and water to make this Bengali mutton curry recipe.

    How To Make Kosha Mangsho

    Marinate The Mutton

    Start by marinating the mutton. Rinse 1 pound (½ kg) bone-in goat mutton (cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces) well with water and drain nicely.

    Mix the mutton pieces, ½ cup thick plain yogurt, 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, and 1 tablespoon mustard oil in a large mixing bowl.

    Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate it for 3-4 hours.

    Note – To make ½ cup thick yogurt using plain yogurt, transfer 1 cup plain yogurt to a fine-mesh strainer and let it rest for an hour in the refrigerator over a bowl. All the excess water will drip down, and the yogurt will be thick and creamy. You can use Greek yogurt instead of thick yogurt as it is already quite thick.

    Mutton, yogurt, ginger garlic paste and mustard oil added to a bowl.
    Marinated mutton.

    Make The Curry

    Pull the marinated mutton from the refrigerator and put it on the counter.

    Heat 4 tablespoon mustard oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. An iron pan is best as it gives a deep blackish color to the dish, but if you don’t have one, use any heavy bottom pan.

    While the oil is heating, lightly crush

    • 2 whole black cardamoms
    • 3-4 whole green cardamoms
    • 1-inch piece of whole cinnamon stick
    • 2-3 cloves

    in a mortar and pestle. Crushing the spices helps in releasing all their flavor into the oil.

    Crushed whole spices.

    When the oil is hot, add 2 bay leaves (cut into 2-3 pieces), crushed whole spices, 3-4 whole dry red chilies, and 1 teaspoon sugar to the pan and fry for 4-5 seconds.

    Bay leaves, whole spices, dry red chilies and sugar added to the hot mustard oil.

    Add 1 and ½ cups of thinly sliced onions and fry until golden brown (6-8 minutes). Stir at regular intervals.

    Sliced onions added to the pan.

    Add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and fry until the onions are nicely browned, stirring frequently. It will take 8-10 minutes.

    Ginger and garlic added to the pan.
    Nicely browned onions.

    Now add the marinated mutton pieces along with the marinade and potato halves and fry for 5-6 minutes on high heat.

    Marinated mutton and potatoes added to the pan.
    Sauteed for 5 minutes.

    Add

    • 2 teaspoon coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    and cook for 2-3 minutes.

    Whle spices added to the pan.
    Cooked for 2-3 minutes.

    Add 1 cup whisked plain yogurt and cook for 5-6 minutes.

    Whisked yogurt added to the pan.
    Cooked for 5-6 minutes.

    Reduce the heat to low. Add a splash of hot water (50-60 ml) to the pan and stir to combine.

    Water added to the pan.

    Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15-20 minutes.

    Pan covered with a tight fitting lid.

    Now repeat the process of adding some water and cooking the mutton until the meat is tender (1.5-2 hours). Scrape the bottom of the pan at regular intervals to incorporate the browned bits with the masala. This process will help the mutton to develop a rich brown color.

    Note – Be careful not to burn the gravy at the bottom of the pan.

    Tender mutton.

    Finally, mix ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, 3-4 slit green chilies, and 1 tablespoon ghee.

    Check for salt and add more if needed.

    Garam masala powder, green chilies and ghee added to the pan.

    Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the gravy is slightly thickened. Serve hot.

    Ready Kosha mangsho.

    Pro Tips By Neha

    Some people add raw papaya as a meat tenderizer while marinating the meat, but I have not added it. You can add 2 teaspoon of grated raw papaya to the marinade if you wish. It will fasten the cooking process and make the meat even more succulent.

    If you are short on time, cook the curry in a pressure cooker. Once the mutton is added, close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for one whistle on high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, and then open the lid.

    You can also cook the curry in an Instant Pot. Make the masala in SAUTE mode, and then PRESSURE COOK for 20 minutes at high pressure, followed by a natural pressure release.

    This dish tastes best the next day. So if you have planned it before, make it a day before serving.

    To make a restaurant-style smooth gravy, grind the fried onion masala and add it to the pan.

    Potatoes are a must-add to this curry, and no Kosha Mangsho is complete without adding a  few.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between Kosha Mangsho and Bengali style Mangsher Jhol?

    Both these recipes have a lot of things in common. Both are rich and dark brown Bengali mutton curries that also use potatoes. Yet, they are pretty different from each other.
    In Kosha Mangsho, yogurt is used in marination. In contrast, in Bengali style Mangsher Jhol, vinegar is used to marinate the mutton, and yogurt is added later while making the curry. Also, Kosha Mangsho uses whole spices, whereas Bengali Style Mangsher Jhol does not.
    Kosha Mangsho is a thick curry, while Magsher Jhol is a thin curry.

    Can I marinate the mutton overnight to make Kosha Mangsho?

    I prefer to marinate it for 3 to 4 hours, but you can go ahead and marinate it for as long as 8 hours or overnight. If you are marinating it for a shorter time, add some grated raw papaya to tenderize the meat faster.

    Serving Suggestions

    Kosha Mangsho tastes the best the next day, so plan accordingly.

    This classic Bengali dish is traditionally not garnished with cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), but you can garnish it with some chopped cilantro.

    This traditional Bengali curry is popularly eaten with steamed plain rice, saffron rice, or hot luchis (Bengali style poori). End this meal with delicious Bengali sweets such as mishti doi or soft roshogullas. 

    You can also serve this spicy goat meat curry with Indian bread like parotta, tawa paratha, or rice dishes like jeera rice or Bengali basanti pulao.

    Storage Suggestions

    You can refrigerate it for 2 days in an airtight container.

    It can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight freezer-safe container.

    Thaw it for a few hours over the counter when ready to serve. Then reheat in a pan or microwave. Add little water if the gravy is too thick.

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    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Kosha Mangsho (Mutton Kosha) is a delicious spicy Bengali-style mutton curry that is full of flavors from mutton (goat meat), spices, and mustard oil. Here is how to make it in traditional style.

    Kosha Mangsho Recipe (Bengali Style Mutton Curry)

    Kosha Mangsho (Mutton Kosha, Mutton Kasha) is a delicious spicy Bengali-style mutton curry that is full of flavors from mutton (goat meat), spices, and mustard oil. Here is how to make it in the traditional style.
    4.82 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
    Marinating Time: 4 hours hours
    Total Time: 6 hours hours
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 701kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    For The Marinade

    • 1 pound bone-in goat mutton (500 g, cut into 1-½ inch chunks)
    • ½ cup thick plain yogurt (dahi, curd) (or Greek yogurt)
    • 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
    • 1 tablespoon mustard oil (or any other cooking oil)

    For The Gravy

    • 4 tablespoons mustard oil (or any other cooking oil)
    • 2 whole bay leaves (tejpatta) (cut into 2-3 pieces)
    • 2 whole black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
    • 3-4 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
    • 1 inch piece of whole cinnamon stick (dalchini)
    • 2-3 cloves (laung)
    • 3-4 whole dry red chilies
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 and ½ cup sliced onions
    • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
    • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
    • 2-3 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into halves)
    • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • 1 cup plain yogurt (dahi) (whisked)
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
    • 3-4 green chilies (slit into half)
    • 1 tablespoon ghee
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    Instructions

    Marinate The Mutton

    • Rinse mutton well with water and drain nicely. In a large bowl, mix the mutton pieces, thick plain yogurt, ginger garlic paste, and mustard oil. Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate it for 3-4 hours.

    Make The Curry

    • Pull the marinated mutton out from the refrigerator and keep it aside on the counter.
    • Heat mustard oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. An iron pan is best as it gives a deep blackish color to the dish but if you don’t have one, use any heavy bottom pan.
    • While the oil is heating, slightly crush black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a mortar and pestle. Crushing the spices helps in releasing all their flavor in the oil.
    • When the oil is hot, add bay leaves, crushed whole spices, dry red chilies, and sugar to the pan and fry for 4-5 seconds.
    • Add onions and fry until they turn slightly brown (6-8 minutes). Stir at regular intervals.
    • Add ginger and garlic and fry until the onions are nicely browned, stirring frequently. It will take 8-10 minutes.
    • Now add the marinated mutton pieces along with the marinade and potatoes halves and fry for 5-6 minutes on high heat.
    • Add the dry spice powders that are coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add plain yogurt and cook for 5-6 minutes.
    • Reduce the heat to low. Add a splash of hot water (50-60 ml) to the pan and stir to combine.
    • Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15-20 minutes.
    • Now repeat the process of adding some water and cooking the mutton until the meat is tender (1.5-2 hours). Scrape the bottom of the pan at regular intervals to incorporate the browned bits with the masala. This process will help the mutton to develop a rich brown color. Be careful to not burn the gravy at the bottom of the pan.
    • Check for salt and add more if needed.
    • Finally, add garam masala powder, slit green chilies, and ghee and mix well.
    • Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the gravy is slightly thickened. Serve hot.

    Video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMrGCA6hjvc

    Notes

    To make ½ cup thick yogurt using plain yogurt, transfer 1 cup plain yogurt to a fine-mesh strainer and let it rest for an hour in the refrigerator over a bowl. All the excess water will drip down, and the yogurt will be thick and creamy. You can use Greek yogurt instead of thick yogurt as it is already quite thick.
    Adding a tablespoon of raw papaya to the marinade fastens the cooking process.
    Try making the same recipe by replacing mutton with chicken, raw jackfruit, cauliflower, eggs, soya chunks, or paneer. Cooking time will be significantly less, so keep that in mind.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 701kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 1010mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 4mg
    Pin this recipe for later use!I LOVE to see your creations so pin and mention @WhiskAffair!
    Sign up for regular updates?I would love to have you as part of my journey. Click to sign up!

    More Mutton Curries

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    • Saag Gosht is a North Indian winter delicacy where goat mutton (or lamb) is cooked in a gravy made using various winter greens. Serve it with makki ki roti or any other Indian bread for a hearty meal (gluten-free).
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    • Goan Lamb Vindaloo is a Portuguese-influenced lamb curry where lamb is cooked in a fiery red, spicy and tangy vindaloo sauce. Make it in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot using my easy recipe (gluten-free).
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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Eshita Dutta

      October 26, 2017 at 4:01 am

      Yummy recipe

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        October 26, 2017 at 7:30 am

        Thnx 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sourav

      July 19, 2018 at 3:19 am

      Wow nice article keep it up

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        July 23, 2018 at 2:50 am

        Thnx

        Reply
    3. Sourav

      July 19, 2018 at 3:28 am

      5 stars
      I will make this recipe

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        July 23, 2018 at 2:49 am

        Do try. It’s a fab recipe.

        Reply
    4. Rohit

      September 29, 2018 at 6:16 pm

      5 stars
      Wow nice This Recipes I like this….

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        October 08, 2018 at 11:21 am

        Thnx

        Reply
    5. Kajal

      June 17, 2020 at 2:18 pm

      5 stars
      Tried it day before and it came out yum. It’s just perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Today trying bengali chicken 🤞

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        June 18, 2020 at 3:06 am

        Nice 🙂

        Reply
    6. Torsa Saha

      September 14, 2021 at 8:21 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is really awesome.

      Reply

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