Chittagong-style mutton curry (Chotto-er mejbani mangsho)

Complex spice mixes and bold and spicy flavours define Bangladeshi cuisine. It is similar to Indian cuisine, more like the distinct cuisine of Bengal, but with an extra pop of flavour and some very distinct spice mixes and blends. This dish highlights the cuisine of a nation and a culture.

This is a rich and bold curry. It is slow-cooked with all ground spices. The spices come together through the slow cooking process (no pressure cooker, please) and merge into a fantastic flavour. While I was cooking this curry, the house was filled with a wonderful aroma. Everyone could not wait to dig in when the curry was finished cooking. This is the sign of a great dish.

The spices explode on your palate, and the excellent onion gravy is loaded with flavours. The colour is a beautiful deep red from all the chillies, which also means that it is a spicy curry. The magic of this dish is the special Bangladeshi garam masala. Please do not try to substitute the Indian garam masala; you will miss out on the authentic flavours that are so perfect. You can serve it with naan bread or rice.

This curry was initially made with beef, but I used mutton instead, as beef is unavailable in India. You can also substitute chicken if you prefer.

This is an excellent cookbook on Bangladeshi cuisine, filled with authentic recipes. The cuisine is very similar to Indian cuisine but has specific nuances and flavours. I have just begun to cook from this book and learn about the flavours, and you will see me cook from it again soon. I recommend this cookbook for those who want to experiment with and learn from this cuisine.

For more recipes from this beautiful cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

3/4 kg mutton with bone

3/4 kg mutton chops

2 tablespoons poppy seeds, lightly roasted

1 tablespoon mustard seeds, lightly roasted

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon oil

3 onions, chunked

2 tablespoons mustard oil

2 tablespoons ginger paste

6-7 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika or mild chili powder

2 tablespoons ground coriander seeds

1 tablespoon ground cumin seeds

Salt, to taste

4 cups water

4 green chillies, slit longitudinally

For the Bangladeshi garam masala:

3 dried Kashmiri chillies

1/2-inch cinnamon stick

3 green cardamom pods

1 black cardamom pod

1 blade mace

4 cloves

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

8 black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

To make the Bangladeshi garam masala, dry roast each spice, except the nutmeg powder, individually in a pan until lightly coloured and aromatic. Cool and grind to a fine powder in a coffee mill or spice grinder. Set aside.

Heat a frying pan and fry the sliced onions in the tablespoon of oil till browned; you are making a traditional birista. Set aside to cool.

Dry roast the mustard seeds and poppy seeds. Cool and grind to a fine powder in a coffee mill or spice grinder. Set aside.

Combine the fried onions, raw onions, and poppyseed-mustard seed powder in a blender. Grind into a fine paste with water as needed, making sure the paste is smooth.

Add the meat, spice paste, and all the other ingredients except the green chillies and garam masala in a large pot large enough for the complete dish. Bring to a boil and simmer for 90 minutes. Stir the pot occasionally to ensure that the spices and meat do not stick to the bottom and burn. Add more water as needed.

After 90 minutes, test the meat, they should be fork tender. Taste and adjust for salt. Add the green chillies and garam masala and mix well. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Taste again and adjust the spices and salt. The curry should be spicy and bold.

Serve the curry hot in a bowl with either a thick bread like naan or ice.