Mutton Kosha is a classic dish made with tender mutton, mustard oil, and a thick paste of yoghurt, whole and ground spices. The meat is slow-cooked in the masala to extract every bit of flavor, giving it a distinct and robust savory taste that I grew up loving. Slow cooked usually on a low to medium flame, I like how the mutton tenderizes in a thick gravy rendering its customary appeal.
The Basics:
- Mutton kosha is a popular Bengali dish made up of tender mutton cooked in a flavorful gravy.
- Mutton Kosha is a rich and hearty dish with moderately to highly spicy flavors.
- Aromatic spices blended with caramelized onions, tangy yogurt, and tender meat make for a harmonious flavor combination with balanced richness.
- Mutton Kosha is best served with either steamed rice, pulao, roti, naan, luchi, or poori, which lets one relish the flavorful gravy with the meal.
- The dish takes around an hour and ten minutes for me to prepare at home with about twenty minutes preparation.
- Mutton Kosha can be replaced with either chicken kosha or mutton curry made with lamb meat. Veg options would include paneer or mushroom bhuna.
The Ingredients
- Mutton – 1 Kg (cut and cleaned)
- Onions – 2 Nos
- Mustard oil – 4 tbsp
- Ginger garlic paste – 2 Tablespoons
- Yoghurt (beaten) – 100 gms
- Cinnamon Stick – 2 Nos
- Cardamom – 5 Nos
- Cumin seeds – Half tbsp
- Bay Leaf – 2 Nos
- Cloves – 2 Nos
- Black Pepper – 5 Nos
- Turmeric – 1 tbsp
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – 1 tbsp
- Red Chili Powder – 1.5 tbsp
- Sugar – Half tbsp
- Roasted Masala Powder (ground roasted coriander, dry chili, cumin seeds) – 2 tbsp
- Coriander powder – Half tbsp
- Cumin powder – Half tbsp
- Javitri – ⅕ tbsp
- Nutmeg – ⅕ tbsp
- Salt – As required
- Lukewarm water as much as required
How to Cook Mutton Kosha (Step by Step Images)?
1. Heat the fireplace or chulha or gas oven, heat a brass kadai or any wok you like to use for the cooking.
2. Add the mustard oil and heat it.
(Pro Tip: Let the whole spices sizzle briefly in mustard oil to release their aroma without burning.)
3. Now, add all the whole spices like Cinnamon Stick, cardamom, Cumin, Bay Leaf, Cloves, Black Pepper.
4. Add the chopped onions, fry it lightly and add the mutton pieces.
5. Stir the mutton nicely.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and stir fry it. When the raw aroma of the ginger & garlic paste goes out then add all the powder masalas like Turmeric, Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, Red Chili Powder, Sugar, Coriander, Dry Chili, Cumin, Coriander, Cumin and salt.
7. Sauté it for 10 mins. Cover it with a lid so that the water comes out from the mutton.
8. Add the Nutmeg, javitri, roasted masala powder and the beaten yogurt, and mix it nicely so that the yogurt does not have any bubbles in it.
(Pro Tip: Add beaten yoghurt gradually and stir continuously to prevent curdling in the hot masala.)
9. Keep it for 5 mins and add lukewarm water (if you give normal water then it will slow the boiling process) as required to cook the mutton.
(Pro Tip: Keep the mutton at a gentle simmer).
10. After 25 mins add the garam masala and stir it well. By this time, the mutton will get well cooked, and your Mutton Kosha will be ready.
Be Creative
- I sometimes go for a bit more roasted cumin for more depth of flavor.
- For the guests, I add a little more of red chili powder for more kick.
- I experimented with homemade thick curd a few times instead of store-bought yoghurt. I found that the thick curd enriches the dish even more.
- When I want a bit more roasted flavor, I brown the onions a little more before adding the mutton, making sure that they do not char and become bitter.
- For additional fragrance, I sometimes add a pinch more of freshly crushed cardamom and cinnamon towards the end.
Mutton Kosha Recipe Fail-Proof Tips
Q: The smell of the mustard oil is too strong. What should I do?
A: Let the oil heat properly in Step 2 before adding the whole spices to mellow down its pungency a bit.
Q: Why is the masala sticking to the bottom of my brass kadai in Step 3?
A: Cooking in brass kadai is not easy. I learnt it through practice. Always cook on a low heat, sprinkle water and continuously scrape any masala that might stick to the bottom.
Q: My mutton is still tough after 25 minutes of cooking. Is something wrong?
A: No, there is nothing wrong in your cooking process in Step 9. Maybe the cuts are quite big. Tougher cuts may need longer to become tender.
Q: My yoghurt has become grainy in Step 8. Can I still use it?
A: Yes, slight curdled specks of curd will not ruin your dish. Just stir continuously on a low heat in Step 8 until it comes together.
Q: The roasted spices taste slightly bitter. What did I do wrong?
A: You must have roasted them at high heat. Next time, reduce the flame and watch the spices closely during roasting. Remove them as soon as they start changing their color.
Recipe Card:
Mutton Kosha (Kosha Mangsho)
Ingredients
- Mutton – 1 Kg cut and cleaned
- Onions – 2 Nos
- Mustard oil – 4 tbsp
- Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
- Yoghurt beaten – 100 gms
- Cinnamon Stick – 2 Nos
- Cardamom – 5 Nos
- Cumin seeds – Half tbsp
- Bay Leaf – 2 Nos
- Cloves – 2 Nos
- Black Pepper – 5 Nos
- Turmeric – 1 Tbsp
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – 1 tbsp
- Red Chili Powder – 1.5 tbsp
- Sugar – Half tbsp
- Roasted Masala Powder - 2 tbsp ground roasted coriander, dry chili, cumin seeds
- Coriander powder – Half tbsp
- Cumin powder – Half tbsp
- Javitri – ⅕ tbsp
- Nutmeg – ⅕ tbsp
- Salt – As required
- Lukewarm water as much as required
Instructions
- Heat the fireplace or chulha or gas oven, heat a brass kadai or any wok you like to use for the cooking.
- Add the mustard oil and heat it.
- Now, add all the whole spices like Cinnamon Stick, cardamom, Cumin, Bay Leaf, Cloves, Black Pepper.
- (Pro Tip: Let the whole spices sizzle briefly in mustard oil to release their aroma without burning.)
- Add the chopped onions, fry it lightly and add the mutton pieces.
- Stir the mutton nicely.
- Add ginger garlic paste and stir fry it. When the raw aroma of the ginger & garlic paste goes out then add all the powder masalas like Turmeric, Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, Red Chili Powder, Sugar, Coriander, Dry Chili, Cumin, Coriander, Cumin and salt.
- Sauté it for 10 mins. Cover it with a lid so that the water comes out from the mutton.
- Add the Nutmeg, javitri, roasted masala powder and the beaten yogurt, and mix it nicely so that the yogurt does not have any bubbles in it.
- (Pro Tip: Add beaten yoghurt gradually and stir continuously to prevent curdling in the hot masala.)
- Keep it for 5 mins and add lukewarm water (if you give normal water then it will slow the boiling process) as required to cook the mutton.
- (Pro Tip: Keep the mutton at a gentle simmer).
- After 25 mins add the garam masala and stir it well. By this time, the mutton will get well cooked, and your Mutton Kosha will be ready.
