Stanley's Kosha Mangsho - Bengali style lamb curry

Bengali Mutton Curry or as we affectionately call it Kosha Mangsho (Mangsho = meat in Bengali language and the Bengali word Kosha means a thicker sauce) is a timeless dish and is an absolute favorite in every Bengali household.

Kosha Mangsho is representative of the traditional Sunday lunch for many Bengali families. In this curry, the pieces of meat are cooked with large chunks of potato in a light and spicy sauce. The curry is mildly spiced so that the spices do not drown out the intense flavor of the meat.

I nostalgically remember going to the butcher on Sundays with my dad to buy meat and how he prepared the delicious curry, not to mention how the smell of the dish whetted our appetites. According to my dad, potato is essential in most Bengali curries and he couldn't imagine a Kosha Mangsho without potato.

Ingredients

• 400 g lamb shoulder, cut into 3 cm cubes

• 400 ml water

• 2 tsp ginger paste

• 1 ½ tsp garlic paste

• 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder

• 1 tsp Bhuna Jeera ((roasted and ground cumin)

• ½ tsp ground turmeric

• ¾ tbsp. salt

• 6 tbsp. mustard or vegetable oil

• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 3 cm pieces

• 2 bay leaves

• 4 medium red onions, finely sliced

Instructions

DaPlace the meat in a large bowl and set aside.

For the marinade, in a bowl, whisk together the ginger paste, garlic paste, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Pour the marinade over the meat, and mix well with your hands to completely coat the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the potato cubes and sauté until lightly browned all around, 5 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.

To the oil remaining in the pan, add the bay leaves and onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions are golden brown.

Increase the heat level to Strong and add in the lamb, stir well and simmer for 5 minutes.Then add 400 ml of water and the sautéed potatoes and stir. Pour in the strained tomatoes and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oil is on top.

When the water boils, cover and reduce the temperature to low heat. Simmer for about 45 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and tender.

Warm Basmati Rice goes especially well with Kosha Mangsho.

Tips

• If boneless meat is used, cooking time will be shorter.

• The onions must be fried to a deep golden brown for the sauce to have the desired intense flavor.

• By cooking for 5 minutes on high heat, the meat will get an appetizing and rich brown color.

• If the recipe calls for roasted and ground cumin, do not substitute this with regular ground cumin as the desired aroma and flavor will not be achieved.

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