Kosha Mangsho (Bengali Mutton Curry)

Bengali Kosha Mangsho or Mutton Kasha is a delicious spicy Bengali Mutton Curry which is full of flavours from mutton, spices and mustard oil. Here is how to make it.

Bengali cuisine came to my life, because of a very good friend who is a Bengali too.

Whenever we were home alone, we used to invite each other for Lunch and Dinner, and that’s where I tasted Bengali food for the first time. 

From Begun Bhaja to Luchi to Bengali Doi Murgi, I have eaten it all!

But this one time when her mother was visiting and I went to meet her, I was treated with this heavenly Bengali Mutton Curry which is popularly called as Kosha Mangsho. 

This Mutton curry has a spicy base made with tomatoes, onions and yogurt.

The way this spicy curry was made has a completely different taste.

Her mother was sweet to hand me her recipe of this traditional recipe and since then I have been making this one at home.

Kosha Mangsho is made in all the Bengali festivals, weddings or any other special occasion.

Since then I have tried this curry in many Bengali restaurants, but none of the curries tastes that good. 

So now-a-days whenever I crave for this delectable Bengali Mutton Curry, I just make it at home.

If you want to experience the real taste of Bengali food, follow this recipe and make it at home.

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

What is Kosha Mangsho?

It is a very popular traditional dish in Bengal and it’s translated as sautéed meat. 

This thick gravy made with the strong flavours of mutton is a favourite at every Bengali household.

A little high on the spice quotient, this Kosha Mangsho recipe or Bengali Style Mutton Curry can be had with traditional crisp Bengali Luchi or with a portion of the delicious Bengali Mishti Pulao.

This dish is traditionally made in a iron kadai which gives it a deep dark brown colour. 

This Bengali Mutton recipe is an instant hit at every Navratri and Poila Baisakh or the Bengali New Year celebrations.

There is nothing like this sumptuous mutton curry to take you through the day.

If you are visiting Kolkata, a trip to Shyam Baazar to taste the iconic Golbarir Kosha Mangsho is a must.

It’s a tiny eatery but the flavour that the mangsho it serves is unmatchable.

Ingredients

To make this curry, firstly mutton is marinated and for the same you will need – fresh hung curd, ginger paste, garlic paste.

The mustard oil really brings out the flavour of the curry. 

For the curry, you will need whole spices such as – black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, dry red chillies and bay leaf.

Other set of ingredients that are required for this delicious curry – onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, dry spices, garam masala powder, lemon juice and water.

Process

Mutton is first marinated for a few hours with fresh hung curd, ginger paste, garlic paste and mustard oil to make it tender and let it imbibe all the flavours of the ginger, garlic and mustard.

Some people also add raw papaya as tenderiser but I have not added it.

If you wish, you can add 2 tsp of grated raw papaya while marinating the meat.

As is common with Bengali cooking, we are using mustard oil in this dish, for the marinate as well as for the flavourful gravy.

I’ve chosen to make this dish in a pressure cooker, to ensure that the mutton cooks perfectly and becomes tender and juicy.

However, this dish is traditionally made in a iron kadai and is cooked for hours until the mutton becomes tender and the masala becomes dark brown in colour.

So to start off , some mustard oil is heated in a pressure cooker and some of the aromatic spices like black and green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves are added.

To this the bay leaves, garam masala, dry red chillies and a spoon full of sugar are added and allowed to fry for a few seconds.

Next onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes are allowed to cook with the spices. The mutton pieces are then added and allowed to fry for a few minutes.

Before addition of water, some of the other spice powders like coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli and cumin powder are added.

It is allowed to pressure cook for a while after which some garam masala and freshly squeezed lime juice is put in.

Once cooked, the aromatic mutton gravy is garnished with fresh coriander.

A curry that’s beaming with flavours, this dish is sure you to spice up your whole meal.

You could also prepare this mutton dish a little in advance, letting the mutton soak up the flavours and spices of the gravy.

To make a restaurant style smooth gravy, you can also grind the fried onion masala and then add it back in the pan.

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

Serving Suggestions

Luchi Kosha Mangsho is match made in heaven.

You can also serve this spicy mutton curry with any Indian bread or rice dish.

You might also like

Kerala Style Mutton Curry

Aloo Posto

Bhuna Gosht

Kaleji Masala

Jhal Muri

Step by Step Recipe

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and marinate for 3-4 hours.

Heat mustard oil in a pan.

Slightly crush black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. When the oil is hot, add bay leaf, crushed garam masala, dry red chillies and sugar and fry for a few seconds.

Add onion and fry until slightly browned.

Add ginger and garlic and fry until nicely browned.

Now add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the mutton pieces and potatoes along with the marinade and fry for 5-6 minutes on high heat.

Add the dry spices and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add a cup of water and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours until mutton is done. Keep stirring in between.

Now add garam masala powder and lemon juice and mix well.

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

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Kosha Mangsho Recipe

It is a delicious spicy Bengali Mutton Curry which is full of flavours from mutton, spices and mustard oil.

4.72 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 465kcal

Author: Neha Mathur

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the marinade

• 1/2 kg Mutton
• 1/2 cup Hung Curd
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• 1 tbsp Mustard Oil

For the gravy

• 3 tbsp Mustard Oil
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 2 Black Cardamom
• 3-4 Green Cardamom
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 2-3 Cloves
• 3-4 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 and 1/2 Cup Onion (Thinly Sliced)
• 1 tsp Ginger (Chopped)
• 1 tsp Garlic (Chopped)
• 1/2 cup Tomato (Chopped)
• 2-3 Potatoes (Peeled and cut into halves.)
• 2 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• Fresh Coriander

Instructions

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and marinate for 3-4 hours.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan.
• Slightly crush black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
• When the oil is hot, add bay leaf, crushed garam masala, dry red chillies and sugar and fry for a few seconds.
• Add onion and fry until slightly browned.
• Add ginger and garlic and fry until nicely browned.
• Now add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the mutton pieces and potatoes along with the marinade and fry for 5-6 minutes on high heat.
• Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add a cup of water and cover the pan. Cook for 1.5 -2 hours until the mutton is cooked well. Keep stirring in between.
• Open the lid and add garam masala powder and lemon juice and mix well.
• Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the gravy is slightly thickened.
• Garnish with fresh coriander.
• Serve hot with Luchi or Basanti Pulao.

Notes

This dish is traditionally made in a kadai but you can definitely make it in a pressure cooker to fasten the process.

If cooked in a kadai, it will take approximately 2 hours for the curry to cook properly.

You can cook it in an iron kadai for a darker colour curry.

Nutrition Facts

Kosha Mangsho Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 465 Calories from Fat 324

% Daily Value*

Fat 36g55%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 90mg30%

Sodium 122mg5%

Potassium 588mg17%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 895IU18%

Vitamin C 56.3mg68%

Calcium 70mg7%

Iron 3.9mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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