Sundays have always been special. Not just because it was the only day in the week when we (as children) were allowed to do as we pleased. No school to begin with. Endless hours before the TV (in its pre-idiotic avatar). Plentiful fun and frolic out-of-doors and the racing clock happily forgotten. Sundays were our say-NO-to-hurry day. If we ever checked our oversized neon watches, it would be in eager anticipation of lunch. For Sundays, above all, meant one thing in the average Bengali household: the irresistably scrumptious goat (NOT lamb) meat curry or 'Mangsho' (as it is popularly known as in Bengal) – either the jhol (a thin red fiery pressure-cooked gravy) or the kasha (the drier, spicier 'restaurant' variety). That was a staple for the Sunday lunch. No Bengali worth his salt would deny the sanctity of this (once prevalent, now fast-fading) Sunday ritual.

Although the abundantly obliging palate of the Bengali is equally hospitable to both the 'posto' (poppy-seeds/ khuskhus) as well as the pizza, the 'mangsho' (unambiguously the goat meat) still rules the roost.

The kasha mangsho of Golbari in North Calcutta (Shyambazar) is a brand in its own right (here's an article on this famous, almost-a-century-old, no-fuss eatery). No true connoisseur of food in his right mind would ever visit Shyambazar without a trip (at least, one) to Golbari. The place looks shoddy and rundown, but well, the crowd (both outside as well as inside) is phenomenal. And so is the kasha mangsho, the signature dish of the eatery. But the kasha is not confined to the restaurant and has carved out a place of its own in (most) Bengali kitchens. The humble jhol is a hit, too, and so is the happy cross between it and the kasha – a savoury gravy, neither too thin nor too thick, but deliriously tantalizing nonetheless.

The kasha mangsho from my kitchen harks back to the happy Sundays of my childhood infused with the flavorsome aroma of elaborate home-cooked meals (the 'mangsho' always accorded a special place on the table) and the merry geniality of the mealtime palaver.

Here's my recipe of the kasha mangsho. Liberties taken in earnest, but with the best of intentions

Ingredients

1. 1.25 kg Mutton cut into medium size pieces

2. Cooking oil (I use a blend of Mustard & Sunflower oils)

3. 5 onions (ground to a fine paste)

4. 1 large garlic (ground to a fine paste)

5. 1.5" ginger (ground to a fine paste)

6. 2 tomatoes (quartered)

7. 100 gms hung yogurt/curd (unsweetened, yet not too sour)

8. Half a tsp turmeric powder (the color of the gravy should ideally be a rich brown, hence only a bit of this condiment will do)

9. 2 tsp red chilli powder (you can adjust the quantity according to your preference)

10. 1tsp cumin powder

11. 1 tsp store-bought meat masala [comprising roughly a blend of the following ingredients: Bengal Gram, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cassia, Coriander, Clove, Chilli, Fennel, Garlic, Kasuri Methi, Salt ]

12. 4-5 whole red chillies

13. 1 lime (juiced)

14. Cinnamon [1-2 sticks], a couple of bay leaves, a couple of star anise

15. Salt & Sugar to taste

16. 3-4 large Potatoes (halved; fried with a pinch of turmeric & salt until golden brown and set aside) – optional

17. 1 tbsp ghee/ clarified butter

Procedure

Marinate the mutton with lime juice and a little salt. Set aside (preferably) for a few hours.

Heat oil in the pressure cooker. Temper with #12 & #14. To the crackling, aromatic spices add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a while over a high flame. Next, add the onion paste, the garlic & ginger pastes and cook, stirring continuously. Add the marinated mutton. Blend well with the spices and add the turmeric, red chilli, cumin powders, the store-bought meat masala and (beaten) curd. Mix well. Cook over a high flame until the oil separates. Next, add lukewarm water plus salt & sugar to taste and pressure cook the mutton until tender. You may add the potatoes (if they are of the tender variety and cooks faster than the usual ones) when the mutton is 50% done. [The number of whistles will depend on a number of factors such as, the quality (lean meat will cook faster than meat laced with fat)/quantity of the meat, the age of the goat, the age/condition of the pressure-cooker etc.].

Once the mutton is done, add the ghee & rest for about 30 min (keep the pressure-cooker lidded). Serve the kasha mangsho with rice, parantha or naan.

 

Author's Bio:

Debashree was born in the historic town of Shyamnagar in West Bengal. She now calls Kalyan City in Mumbai her home where she lives with her husband and son. Although not formally trained in the culinary arts, Debashree is a fine, intuitive cook besides being an equally talented visual artist. She had earned her Masters Degree in Economics and has also received formal training in fine art. Now she owns her own exclusive boutique in Mumbai. Being a connoisseur of good food herself, Debashree is also a fine host and enjoys cooking for family and friends. Gifted with a fine voice, she is an accomplished singer and has received formal training in classical music.