Bhuna mutton is a popular dish of North India made with tender boneless mutton pieces. They are cooked with browned onions, and a freshly ground combination of whole spices. The finely sliced onions are first sautéed before adding the mutton which is then slow-cooked until the oil and juice separate. The ground bhuna masala consists of cloves, green and black cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, red chilies, and cumin seeds, which are then added before finishing with yogurt and chopped coriander leaves. Go through my easy recipe to learn the steps to make bhuna mutton at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Bhuna mutton is a very popular dish in North India but is also consumed widely across other regions.
- Serve it alongside dal and rice, pulao, chapati, tandoori roti, lachha paratha, or plain or butter naan.
- Bhuna mutton tastes spicy, slightly creamy, earthy, and savory.
- Other similar recipes are rogan josh, mutton curry, mutton korma, and kosha mangsho.
The Ingredients:
To cook the mutton:
- 500 grams mutton (boneless)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 pieces onions (medium size, finely sliced)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup yogurt (whisked)
- Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped)
To make the bhuna masala:
- 3 pieces green cardamom (whole pods)
- 4 pieces cloves
- 1 piece black cardamom (whole pod)
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 4 pieces dry red chilies
- 1 piece cinnamon stick (2 inches in size)
At my cousin’s home I discovered an unusual recipe during a family gathering. She had prepared it herself at home but it tasted just like in a restaurant. The combination of soft mutton pieces with the rich fragrance and flavoring from the meat created an impressive dining experience. I went to her right away to ask her for the recipe which she provided to me with complete instructions and special tips for cooking with it. I recorded everything in my kitchen notebook to ensure I would remember all information without losing any detail.
The following weekend I prepared the dish at home for my husband and two sons. The outcome matched my expectations so I felt extremely pleased. The mutton was tender with balanced spices which created an exceptionally tasty dish. My husband continuously praised the food’s taste while my sons happily requested more helpings which brought me great joy. Thanks to my cousin’s recipe that brought festive joy because I could see their happiness when they smiled.
How to Make Bhuna Mutton? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Fry 3 pieces of medium-sized, finely sliced onions in 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a pressure cooker until soft and slightly brown on a medium flame.
Step 2: Add 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 1.5 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Mix and cook for a minute.
Step 3: Add 500 grams of boneless mutton and 1 tsp of salt. Cook on a high flame until mutton changes color and releases oil.
Step 4: Add a cup of water. Cover the lid and cook on a medium to low flame for 40 minutes.
Step 5: Dry roast 3 pieces of whole green cardamom, 4 pieces of cloves, 1 piece whole black cardamom, ½ tsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, 4 pieces of dry red chilies, and 1 piece of cinnamon stick (2 inches in size) for 1.5 minutes on a low flame. Grind them into a coarse powder when cool.
Step 6: Check the mutton and cook until dry.
Step 7: Add the ground masala to the cooked mutton and mix nicely.
Step 8: Mix ¼ cup of whisked yogurt and a few finely chopped coriander leaves. Cover and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes. When done, transfer to a serving tray.
Step 9: Your tasty and spicy homemade bhuna mutton is ready.
Recipe Card
Bhuna Mutton | Bhuna Gosht
Ingredients
To cook the mutton:
- 500 grams mutton boneless
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 pieces onions medium size, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup yogurt whisked
- Coriander leaves a few, finely chopped
To make the bhuna masala:
- 3 pieces green cardamom whole pods
- 4 pieces cloves
- 1 piece black cardamom whole pod
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 4 pieces dry red chilies
- 1 piece cinnamon stick 2 inches in size
Instructions
- Fry 3 pieces of medium-sized, finely sliced onions in 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a pressure cooker until soft and slightly brown on a medium flame.
- Add 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 1.5 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Mix and cook for a minute.
- Add 500 grams of boneless mutton and 1 tsp of salt. Cook on a high flame until mutton changes color and releases oil.
- Add a cup of water. Cover the lid and cook on a medium to low flame for 40 minutes.
- Dry roast 3 pieces of whole green cardamom, 4 pieces of cloves, 1 piece whole black cardamom, ½ tsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, 4 pieces of dry red chilies, and 1 piece cinnamon stick (2 inches in size) for 1.5 minutes on a low flame. Grind them into a coarse powder when cool.
- Check mutton and cook until dry.
- Add the ground masala to the cooked mutton and mix nicely.
- Mix ¼ cup of whisked yogurt and a few finely chopped coriander leaves. Cover and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes. When done, transfer to a serving tray.
- Your tasty and spicy homemade bhuna mutton is ready.
