How to Cook A Perfect Mutton Kosha Every Single Time

Mutton Kosha recipe requires a lot of patience. And time.

No one should tell you to cook a finger-licking good mutton kosha in a short time. You can read pressure cooker versions, and other methods but nothing can match the outcome of braising the meat in the wok from raw till well done.

It requires hard work, patience and a lot of concentration. And the end result is stunning, one that sends your taste buds on a joyous dance.

This is a detailed guide that will take you through the intricacies of cooking an extremely delicious mutton kosha from the comforts of your kitchen.

What is Mutton Kosha?

Kosha is a cooking technique in which the meat is braised with spices, onions, tomatoes and seasonings for long hours till the meat is cooked and the spices have penetrated deep inside the meat.

In Bengal, chicken and goat meat are the most common dishes that are prepared using this technique. A few people also use duck. In North Indian terms, a kosha is called as ‘bhuna’, which is also the the term very commonly used in neighboring Bangladesh where beef bhuna is a very common dish.

In many parts of India including Bengal, goat meat is always referred to as mutton which is technically incorrect. Mutton is basically an adult sheep. For the convenience of my readers, I am referring goat meat as mutton.

Ask a Bengali about his dream lunch and you will most certainly find mutton kosha in the menu.

Also called kosha mangsho, this dish is served on Sunday afternoons when the entire family dines together for lunch. It also finds a special place during festivals, holidays and special occasions.

Golbari in Kolkata is synonymous with mutton kosha as people from far and wide travel there to taste the dish. I had previously written a recipe for the chicken version of Golbari kosha mangsho.

Important Aspects of Cooking a Near-Perfect Mutton Kosha

You can directly jump on to the recipe, however, I have discussed some important aspects that will help you cook a very good mutton kosha even if it is your first time.

Should You Pressure Cook Your Kosha Mangsho?

Many of you have asked if it is fine to pressure cook the meat for this dish. I would not recommend a pressure cooker technique as that would compromise with the end result.

The whole aim of a kosha is to braise the meat with the spices from raw till it is cooked.

Pressure cooker does not give an optimum result. If you pressure cook the meat first, the cooked meat lacks the juiciness and if you pressure cook it towards the end, it gives you a watery consistency.

Don’t pressure cook it – a humble request!

Should You Marinate the Meat for Mutton Kosha?

A marinate isn’t required. And if you even do, avoid the salt. Because salt draws out the water from the mutton which can result in a chewy meat.

I never marinate my mutton if I am cooking a kosha mangsho. I would not suggest too.

If you still feel like applying some marinate, some turmeric powder and curd would be enough.

The Salt Factor

Salt is an important factor in cooking every dish.

When you cook a mutton kosha, do not add any salt before the meat is almost cooked. What salt does is draw out water from the meat and reduce the juiciness of the meat.

This is what I do, I cook the mutton along with onions and spices on a high flame. This ensures that the outer layer of the meat is braised and prevents the juices in the meat from coming out. And then I add the salt towards the end.

Try out, you will love it!

Whole Spices and Powdered Spices

Spices play and important role in cooking. Knowing when and how much of the spices to add can make or break your dish.

Whole Spices for Mutton Kosha

Most Indians prefer to add the whole spices when they begin preparing any curry. I have observed that this does not give optimum results. And the reason is heat.

We temper the whole spices in the oil without proper understanding of heat. This results in charring of the spices. The spices do not give out their complete flavors and that is a waste of the beautiful spices.

Recently, I tried to draw some knowledge and inspiration of Wazwan cuisine and found that they add whole spices while the cooking is in progress.

I tried adding the whole spices while the meat was half done and was surprised with the results. This heats up the spices, propels them to give away the flavors which penetrate the meat while it is being cooked, ensuring that the complete flavor profile of the spices are utilized.

Except of course, the bayleaf, dried red chili and cumin seeds!

Powdered Spices for Kosha Mangsho

When you cook a mutton kosha, the flavor of the meat should dominate along with garlic. Most people prefer adding turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder in the same breath as if one can’t work without the other.

In recent years, I have always seen cumin and coriander being added spontaneously without even a thought of whether the flavors cut out each other.

For a good kosha mangsho, you can avoid adding both cumin and coriander powder. In this recipe, I have added tiny portions only. Turmeric powder has been used for its medicinal properties, while I have used dry red chili paste instead of chilli powder.

How Much Water Should You Add?

It depends on how you pair up your dish.

If you eat it with simple steamed rice, you would need some amount of dry gravy. So you would need to add some amount of water as the meat cooks. In the below recipe, I have considered this scenario.

However, if you want to eat it with luchi (Bengali style poori made with all purpose flour) or basanti pulao, you may not need any water. At best, a few sprinkles to avoid burning of the onion and spices.

Getting to the Preparations

This dish requires a lot of onions and garlic. I prefer to peel the garlic a night before to save on time.

You can do the same or do all preparations the next morning.

You may also want to soak the dry red chilies overnight. In case you feel lazy the night before or you forget, you can soak them in hot water to help them soften faster before you prepare your paste.

Do not go low on the onions. Onions will add flavor, melt to provide a body to the dry gravy for the mutton kosha.