Mangshor Jhol (Bengali Style Mutton Curry)

This dish is an all time favourite and most popular dish in any Bengali household. Be it any occasion, celebration or a holiday, this dish has to be made. This can be served with hot steamed rice, luchi or porotha. There are different ways you can make it. Each house will have their own way of making it. Depending on the day / occasion or celebration the richness of the curry / depends - like if it’s a Sunday afternoon affair then the jhol / curry will be patla or thin. If it’s an occasion or a celebration then the gravy with be a rich gravy. Without adding the fried potato cubes the curry is not complete. 

This is one of the version -

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 Onion 

6 Garlic Cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 Green Chillies 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients together. 

For the Mutton MarinationIngredients 

500 grams Mutton

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Bengali Garam masala powder - equal portions of cloves, cinnamon and green cardamom is ground into powder 

1 tsp Red Chilli powder 

2 tbsp of the Wet Paste 

1/2 cup Curd

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients together and marinate for 30 minutes. 

For the Mutton Curry 

Ingredients 

Marinated Mutton 

2 medium size Potatoes cut into Cubes 

1 Onion sliced 

1 Tomato chopped 

2 tbsp of the Wet Paste

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 whole Cardamom powder 

2 whole Cloves 

1 small Cinnamon 

1 Dried Red Chilli 

1 Bay leaf

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1/2 cup Mustard Oil to fry the Potato cubes 

Method 

Take a pressure cooker. Add the oil and let it heat up. Lower the flame. Add the potato cubes and fry them. Remove the fried potato cubes and keep it aside. Reduce the oil from the pressure cooker. Let 2 tbsp oil remain. Add the cumin seeds, whole garam masala, bay leaf and dry red chilli. Let it crackle. Add the sliced onion. Sauté it for a minute. Add the sugar and salt, continue to stir. Add the wet paste and continue to sauté for another minute. Add the marinated mutton. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chopped tomato. Stir and add 2 cups of water. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and let one whistle come. Switch off the flame and let the pressure release. Open the lid and add the fried potato cubes. Stir and close the lid of the pressure cooker again. Allow 2 whistles and switch of the flame. Once the pressure releases then open the lid of the pressure cooker. Serve the mangshor jhol hot with steaming rice, luchi or porota.