Laal Jhaal Kosha Mangsho

Kosha Mangsho is one of the numerous Bengali dishes to salivate over. I never ate mutton before my marriage coz the variety I had tasted in Kundapur was very hard. When Abbas had asked me before marriage, which of the two I liked more – chicken or mutton? Without a thought, I had replied Chicken. Post marriage when I tasted this dish, I instantly developed a strong inclination towards mutton. It simply melted in the mouth and it was heavenly!!! You have to eat it to feel it.

Well, the recipe that I’m sharing today is not a pure Bengali Kosha Mangsho version. I have tweaked the recipe a bit. I had seen Chef Marut Sikka cooking Rajasthani Laal Mangsho on TV. This recipe is a combination of both. Folks, are you ready to cook a hybrid mutton curry which is a Bengali cross Rajasthani breed? This sure is very spicy. You might wanna adjust the red chillies to suit your palate.

Ingredients:
Mutton – 1 kg
Tomatoes – 2 medium sized, chopped
Potatoes – 5-6 medium sized, peeled and cut into halves.
Curd – 1 cup
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2-3 tbsp

To grind to a paste:
Onion – 3 medium sized
Ginger – 2” piece
Garlic – 7-8 pods

For the masala powder:
Red chillies – 10-15
Coriander – 1 tbsp
Cumin – 2 tsp
Cardamom – 2-3
Cloves – 4-5
Cinnamon – 1” stick

Method:

1. Marinate the mutton with onion-ginger-garlic paste, curd, turmeric powder and salt and keep in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 mins, the longer the better.

2. Dry roast the ingredients called for under the masala powder head and grind them to a fine powder. ( I microwave the masalas instead on high for a min)

3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add a tsp of salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Drop in potato pieces on a high flame. Stir for 2-3 mins. Lower the flame and cook covered till the potatoes turn golden on all sides. Remove them from the oil and keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and add the marinated meat along with chopped tomatoes and cook on a low flame. The meat gets cooked in its own juices. Occasionally stir and cook till all the water gets evaporated from the mutton and oil oozes out from the sides. This process might take an hour even.

5. Now combine the mutton, fried potatoes and the masala powder in a pressure cooker. Add water to suit your desired consistency. You may adjust salt at this stage. Pressure cook for 1 or 2 whistles.

6. I simply cook steamed rice to accompany this and none in my family complains coz they can wholly and solely indulge in this divine dish. One can have it with Indian bread if the gravy is cooked to thick consistency.