Welcome to Episode 8 of the 'Cook with Gulf News Food' series that invites our readers to watch and learn from our guest chefs and home cooks. Share your experiences at food@gulfnews.com

Mutton Kosha

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

250 gms mutton or meat

100 gms mustard oil

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

2 green cardamoms

2 cloves

150 gms or 1 cup sliced onions

1 1/2 cup tomatoes, sliced

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, equal portions (Note: Add a little extra to get rid of the raw meaty smell faster)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli (or according to taste)

2 tsp degi mirch

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp Bengali garam masala (dry-roasted powder made of 7gms cardamom, 2 gms cloves, 2 gms cinnamon)

1 tsp green chilli paste, optional

Boiled water, 3 cups

Salt to taste

Method:

1. The best way to cook this Bengali delicacy is in a kadhai. If you don't have one, you can also use a pan. Heat a kadhai and add mustard oil to it.

2. Once the oil is hot, add sliced onions and sauté on medium heat until they start turning golden brown in colour.

3. Next, add the sliced tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes.

4. Now, start adding the powdered spices, including turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Add degi mirch to get a rich dark colour, followed by cumin powder, coriander powder and salt and mix them well.

5. Then, add hot water to the mix and cook the masalas or spices for a couple of minutes or until the oil is released, preferably on medium heat. If you keep the gas flame on high heat, the spice mix will burn. Stir, scrape the edges and continue mixing them all together.

6. Once the oil releases and thickens, add the mutton pieces to it and cook. Do not add water at this stage or the mutton will start smelling. Cook the mutton in spices for some time till the gravy releases oil.

7. Next, add green chilli paste (optional). You can skip this if you want, but it lends a nice flavour.

8. Now, add hot water to this and allow it to cook on low to medium heat for 20 minutes. Note: Mutton takes a while to cook, so cover it with a lid and cook.

9. If the gravy is thin, cook it for some more time. As for Kosha, the gravy should be slightly thick.

10. Towards the end, add Bengali garam masala powder. Do not cook this spiced mix for a long time, or else the gravy will taste bitter.

Serve hot with Bengali mishti pulao or sweet rice.

Recipe Courtesy: Pinch of Spice Restaurant, Dubai

What other recipes would you like featured in the 'Cook with Gulf News Food series'? Tell us at food@gulfnews.com

Chef Buddahdeb Manna, Special to Gulf News

Articles from the author

Cook with Gulf News Food: Mutton Kosha