Bengali style mutton curry (mangsher jhol)

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A pressure cooker mutton curry recipe that’s usually a Sunday special in most Bengali homes – tastes heavenly with steamed rice!

In India, in most Bengali homes, goat meat curries are especially made on Sundays. Likewise, this Bengali style mutton curry used to be a regular at home, back in Mumbai. Baba would get fresh, tender goat meat in the morning and maa would then start the preparation. And how we always looked forward to lunch! Not that this curry or that mutton was made just once a week, but the luxury of a siesta after mangsho-bhaat, was possible only on a Sunday. And that made it even more special. Now, with both, me and my brother moving out, the Sunday mutton curry ritual has somewhat taken a backseat. Nonetheless, whenever we are visiting Mumbai, the frequency at which maa cooks the curry is higher than once a week!

For obvious reasons this delicious goat meat curry is also known as the Sunday mutton curry. Coming to the recipe, it is a regular “mangsher jhol, ” it is a non-fussy and super simple to make. In fact, my recipe that I have adapted from maa’s, is a pressure cooker recipe – a one pot gem.  This spicy and runny curry is made in mustard oil, with minimal spices. Therefore, in that regard, it is quite the opposite of the elaborate kosha mangsho, which is a leisurely slow cooked mutton preparation. Probably that’s why it is so regularly made on Sundays, when the whole family can sit down together for an enjoyable meal, that doesn’t even take time to cook!

Also see,

Mutton yakhni pulao (pilaf)

Homestyle mutton biryani

Railway mutton curry

Easy recipe

The Bengali style mutton curry is a pretty easy recipe. Nonetheless, every home has it’s own recipe and this one is ours. In fact, our homestyle recipe is so simple that you won’t even need tomatoes or yoghurt for the curry! Not even cumin or coriander powders, yet the outcome is finger licking good. You have to try the recipe to believe me. However, do make sure to use meat on the bone. The bones have got so much flavor in them that adds to the taste of the jhol. Another important part of thie mutton curry are the potatoes in them. We Bengalis love potatoes in our curries – be it fish, chicken or mutton, all our curries have aloo in them. And let me tell you, the potatoes cooked in the curry taste delicious since they soak up the flavors form it.

In fact, they taste so good that maa would always account for half a potato for everyone eating the curry. 🙂

Now, you could polish off the yummy Bengali style mutton curry with some steaming hot rice and even rutis. We love having it with either. Moreover, it tastes the nicest the next day. Hence, if you are making this for guests, you could easily make it a day ahead. Not only will it save you time but you will be serving an even more yummy mutton curry. I hope you will give our homestyle goat meat curry a try. If you can’t source the meat, you could replace it with lamb as well. If you do try it, you can share your food pictures with me on Instagram and Pinterest. I’d love to hear from you.

Eat hearty!