Mutton kala bhuna is made with small and fresh mutton marinated with onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, raw papaya-green chili paste, curd and a variety of powdered spices. It is traditionally cooked in mustard oil with a variety of spices, slightly crushed, onions and a few other aromatic spices as well. Liquor tea is added to it finally for its traditional black color. Continue reading my simple recipe to learn the steps to make mutton kala bhuna at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Mutton kala bhuna is a very popular dish in India and widely consumed in West Bengal.
- Serve it hot with chapati, rumali roti, tandoori roti, paratha, kulcha or any naan.
- Mutton kala bhuna tastes spicy, earthy, and savory.
- Other similar recipes are kosha mangsho, mutton bhuna gosht, laal maas, champaran meat, handi mutton, and morich mangsho.
The Ingredients:
To marinate the mutton:
- 500 grams mutton (with bone, cut into small pieces)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper powder
- 1 piece onion (large, paste)
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 2 tbsp raw papaya and green chili paste
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
To cook the mutton:
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 3 pieces green cardamom (slightly crushed)
- 3 pieces cloves (slightly crushed)
- 1 piece cinnamon stick (1 inch in size, slightly crushed)
- 6 pieces black peppercorns (slightly crushed)
- ½ piece mace (javitri)
- ¼ tsp shah jeera (or regular cumin seeds, slightly crushed)
- 1 piece black cardamom (whole pods)
- 2 pieces dry red chilies (whole)
- 2 pieces bay leaves (whole)
- 2 pieces onions (medium size, finely chopped)
- ½ tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup liquor tea (boil 1 tsp of tea in ½ cup of water to prepare the liquor)
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
I had this dish for the first time in Kolkata at a well-known restaurant called Golibari. Honestly, I was captivated by that dark black color of the mutton and also by its flavor. It had this strange but pleasant taste that I could not easily forget even after a while. I wanted to learn the recipe but then my husband said that they would usually not part with their secret. So, I looked for the recipe on different cookbooks and recipe channels and finally found it in a cookbook at a secondhand bookstore. I bought the book, obviously.
When I made it for the first time at home, my two sons and husband asked when did I visit the restaurant in Kolkata that day to buy it – the dish was so good and authentic to taste. I followed the recipe to the last word and the result was excellent. Now I often prepare it on Sundays and at any family get-together on the weekends.
How to Make Mutton Kala Bhuna? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Wash and cut 500 grams of mutton into small pieces. Marinate it with 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of cumin powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ tsp of black pepper powder, paste of 1 piece of large onion, 1 tsp of ginger paste, 1 tsp of garlic paste, 2 tbsp of yogurt, 2 tbsp of mustard oil, 2 tbsp of raw papaya and green chili paste. Cover and keep it in the fridge overnight or at least for 6 hours.
Step 2: Slightly crush 3 pieces of green cardamom, 3 pieces of cloves, 1 piece of cinnamon stick (1 inch in size), 6 pieces of black peppercorns, half a piece of mace (javitri), ¼ tsp of shah jeera (or regular cumin seeds) together and fry them for 20 seconds in 2 tbsp of mustard oil on a medium to low flame along with 1 piece of whole black cardamom, 2 pieces of dry red chilies and 2 pieces of bay leaves.
Step 3: Add 2 pieces of onions (medium size, finely chopped). Mix and add ½ tsp of sugar, salt to taste and cook until brown.
Step 4: Add the marinated mutton. Mix, cover and cook for 15 minutes on a low flame, stirring it a couple of times in between to prevent sticking to the bottom and burning.
Step 5: When it releases oil, stir continuously and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until dry and the mutton is tender. Add 1 cup of liquor tea (boil 1 tsp of tea in ½ cup of water to prepare the liquor beforehand).
Step 6: Stir and cook for 10 minutes more on a low flame. Then add ¼ tsp of garam masala powder and 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter).
Step 7: Mix nicely, cover, switch off the flame and let it rest for 5 minutes. Transfer it onto a plate to serve.
Step 8: Your tasty and spicy homemade mutton kala bhuna is ready.
Recipe Card
Mutton Kala Bhuna
Ingredients
To marinate the mutton:
- 500 grams mutton with bone, cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper powder
- 1 piece onion large, paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 2 tbsp raw papaya and green chili paste
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
To cook the mutton:
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 3 pieces green cardamom slightly crushed
- 3 pieces cloves slightly crushed
- 1 piece cinnamon stick 1 inch in size, slightly crushed
- 6 pieces black peppercorns slightly crushed
- ½ piece mace javitri
- ¼ tsp shah jeera or regular cumin seeds, slightly crushed
- 1 piece black cardamom whole pods
- 2 pieces dry red chilies whole
- 2 pieces bay leaves whole
- 2 pieces onions medium size, finely chopped
- ½ tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup liquor tea boil 1 tsp of tea in ½ cup of water to prepare the liquor
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp ghee clarified butter
Instructions
- Wash and cut 500 grams of mutton into small pieces. Marinate it with 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of cumin powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ tsp of black pepper powder, paste of 1 piece of large onion, 1 tsp of ginger paste, 1 tsp of garlic paste, 2 tbsp of yogurt, 2 tbsp of mustard oil, 2 tbsp of raw papaya and green chili paste. Cover and keep it in the fridge overnight or at least for 6 hours.
- Slightly crush 3 pieces of green cardamom, 3 pieces of cloves, 1 piece of cinnamon stick (1 inch in size), 6 pieces of black peppercorns, half a piece of mace (javitri), ¼ tsp of shah jeera (or regular cumin seeds) together and fry them for 20 seconds in 2 tbsp of mustard oil on a medium to low flame along with 1 piece of whole black cardamom, 2 pieces of dry red chilies and 2 pieces of bay leaves.
- Add 2 pieces of onions (medium size, finely chopped). Mix and add ½ tsp of sugar, salt to taste and cook until brown.
- Add the marinated mutton. Mix, cover and cook for 15 minutes on a low flame, stirring it for a couple of times in between to prevent sticking to the bottom and burning.
- When it releases oil, stir continuously and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until dry and the mutton is tender. Add 1 cup liquor tea (boil 1 tsp of tea in ½ cup of water to prepare the liquor beforehand).
- Stir and cook for 10 minutes more on a low flame. Then add ¼ tsp of garam masala powder and 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter).
- Mix nicely, cover, switch off the flame and let it rest for 5 minutes. Transfer it onto a plate to serve.
- Your tasty and spicy homemade mutton kala bhuna is ready.
