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    Home » Recipes » Bengali Cuisine

    Sunday Mutton Curry

    July 15, 2020 by Kankana Saxena

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    I grew up with the ritual of Sunday Mutton Curry, often prepared by my Dad. Simmering slowly in a heavy pot until the meat falls off the bones and the entire house is filled with rich aromatic flavor of mutton and spices.

    Sunday Mutton Curry is most Bengali family’s Sunday ritual. It is prepared with goat meat.

    It’s rustic, not overly spiced and the meat doesn’t even need any long hours of margination.

    You can definitely prepare it in Instapot/electric pressure cooker or in a regular pressure cooker. I however prefer slow cooking it in my casserole. Slow cooking mutton curry enhanced the flavor of the meat and brings out that rich color.

    Close up view of Indian meat curry

    Ingredients for Sunday Mutton Curry:

    • Mutton (with and without bones)
    • Potatoes
    • Red onions
    • Garlic
    • Ginger
    • Fresh green chili
    • Mustard oil
    • yogurt

    Whole Spices:

    • Bay leaf
    • Green cardamoms
    • Cloves
    • Cinnamon stick

    Spice powders

    • Cumin seeds
    • Coriander seeds
    • Turmeric
    • Chili powder
    • Bengali Garam Masala – Link to the recipe

    Sunday Mutton curry is a Bengali style Mutton Masala or Mutton Curry and is a traditional Mutton recipe that includes potatoes.

    Meat and potatoes always work together perfectly and in this Indian Mutton Curry, the potatoes make the gravy creamy. As the potato cooks with the goat meat, some of it breaks down forming a thick gravy.

    Over the top view of Sunday Mutton Curry along with a plate with rice and curry on the side. Sliced onion in a bowl and rice in a bigger bowl.

    STEPS for the ONE POT CURRY

    • Heat the mustard oil to a smoking point and fry the big chunks of potatoes just for while. Then take if off to be used later.
    • To the pan add the whole spices, onion and garlic ginger. KEY STEP for any mutton or chicken dish is to brown the onion nicely. It will add a sweetness and will give that rich color.
    • Then the powdered spices go in mixed with litter water. Mixing spices with water avoids it from getting burnt.
    • Add the yogurt followed by the mutton pieces. Stir around and cook for a while.
    • Then pour the water and let it simmer for about 1 hr (depending on the size of the meat, it might take more or less time)
    • Once the chicken in cooked, I add the green chili and Bengali Gorom Moshla.

    Side view of meat curry on a blue color tray

     What is Bengali Gorom Moshla?

    Bengali Gorom Moshola is different from the regular Indian Garam Masala. The Bengali version requires only three whole spices and it’s very mildly spiced. Here is the recipe link. You cannot find it in any stores.

    You can definitely prepare the dish in Instapot/ Electric pressure cooker or any regular pressure cooker.

    The Spice level of this Indian Mutton Curry:

    I add whole green chili trimmed at the end, which gives the aroma but doesn’t make it hot. If you prefer it spicier, finely chop the green chili along with the garlic and ginger.

    Can you prepare Sunday Mutton Curry with lamb?

    YES! The taste will be different, and my guess is also the cooking time. Goat meat is tougher and so it takes more time to cook. Lamb has more fat but is softer and most people don’t enjoy the fatty smell of lamb.

    Traditionally this special Sunday meat curry is prepared with goat meat only and so is all other Bengali style mutton dishes.

    But if lamb is all you like and can find, definitely go ahead and try with that.  

    Close up view of Indian meat curry

    Sunday Mutton Curry

    Kankana Saxena
    I grew up with the ritual of Sunday Mutton Curry, often prepared by my Dad. Simmering slowly in a heavy pot until the meat falls off the bones and the entire house is filled with rich aromatic flavor of mutton and spices.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
    Course Curries and Stew
    Cuisine Bengali
    Servings 0 Serves 3
    Calories 400 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 lb goat meat (with bones in and without bones)
    • 1 big red onion (10.86 oz)
    • 5 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 green chilies
    • 4 bay leaves
    • 1 big potato (7.85 oz)
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 4 green cardamoms
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
    • 6 cloves
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
    • ⅓ cup thick yogurt
    • 2 tablespoons mustard oil
    • 1 teaspoon Bengali Gorom Moshola (RECIPE LINK in NOTES BELOW)
    • 2 and ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Peel the potato and cut into big chunks. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric and give a massage. Keep it aside while you prep rest of the things.
    • Thinly slice the onion. Finely chop the garlic and ginger. If you want spicy curry, finely chop the green chili. If you want the curry mildly spiced, then leave the green chili whole to be added later.
    • In a bowl add the spice powder along with rest of the turmeric powder. Pour little water and give a whisk.
    • Place a heavy bottom pan in medium heat. Pour the mustard oil and let it reach a smoking point. You should see smoke coming out of the pan.
    • Carefully add the potato chunks and cook for 2 minutes. Then remove it and keep aside to be used later.
    • To the same pan, add the sugar to the hot oil. This helps to add a gorgeous color to the dish. Add the whole spices and stir around for few seconds.
    • Scatter the onion, garlic, ginger along with 1 teaspoon salt. Brown the onion for about 10 minutes then add the spice paste. Stir it around for 3 minutes.
    • Add the mutton cubes and cook for 5 minutes.
    • Whisk the yogurt until it’s smooth and add it to the pan. Mix it around.
    • Add the potatoes, pour 5 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. At this point, you can transfer it to a Instapot or pressure cooker and pressure cook. Or cover the pot and let it slow cook for about 1 hr or until the meat is cooked through.
    • Finally add the whole green chili if you haven’t added it before. Sprinkle the Bengali Gorom Moshola and cook for 5 minutes.
    • Enjoy it warm with steamed white rice!

    Video

    Notes

    1. Make sure to heat the mustard oil to smoking point before you add the potatoes
    2. KEY STEP for any mutton or chicken dish is to brown the
    onion nicely. It will add a sweetness and will give that rich color.
    3. Bengali Gorom Moshola is different from the regular Indian Garam Masala. The Bengali version requires only three whole spices and it’s very mildly spiced. Here is the recipe link. You cannot find it in any stores.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 46gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 662mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8g
    Keyword Bengali curry, curries, goat, mutton, red meat
    Over the top view of Sunday Mutton Curry in a bowl served with rice in a different bowl.

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      Katla Macher Kalia
    • Chenna
      How to Make Chenna
    • Jhinge Bata
      Jhinge Bata

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Manju @ Manju's Eati

      January 14, 2015 at 7:08 am

      I want some Mutton curry now...its been ages since I ate any. Havent tried cooking it myself much...but i'm so tempted. 🙂

    2. Titir

      January 01, 2015 at 3:38 am

      Your photography is amazing and very well written..... Even our Sunday's had either chicken or mutton in our menu... Childhood memories.... Feeling Nostalgic....

    3. Anusia

      December 22, 2014 at 10:33 pm

      Its a very good recipe and seems yummy.I will surely try this at home.

    4. Helene D'Souza

      December 17, 2014 at 5:04 am

      I like the look of your curry and I can imagine making this on a Sunday. Mutton is not part of our food culture but I always wanted to try adding it to our food habits. Thank you for sharing your memories with us, makes the curry recipe all the more special. =)

    5. Archana

      December 13, 2014 at 3:29 pm

      Looks delicious! Sunday was never complete without a chicken or mutton curry even at our home. The photography is just sooo beautiful here....beyond words!!!

    6. Dixya @ Food, Pleasu

      December 12, 2014 at 4:48 pm

      this is such a nostalgic post...except that we have saturday mutton curry 🙂

    7. Nusrat Azim

      December 12, 2014 at 7:33 am

      That red, hot, sensuous mutton-curry is a heartthrob, for sure. I can cook this dish pretty well, but couldn't refrain myself from browsing through your recipe because your pictures made me to.

      Yes, those pictures are THAT convincing, real, warm and BEAUTIFUL.

      Hope your kiddo is doing good.

    8. The Blonde Chef

      December 12, 2014 at 6:54 am

      These photos are gorgeous! I am seriously dying over how stunning they are!! Well done!

    9. Pia

      December 12, 2014 at 2:22 am

      Yes, lots of memories in that bowl of mutton for me too. There's nothing like passing down a Sunday ritual! I enjoyed reading that.

    10. indugetscooking

      December 11, 2014 at 5:21 pm

      Sounds and looks so absolutely delicious. Is it jeera rice you served it with?

      And so curious about luchi – allu torkari!

    11. Laura (Tutti Dolci)

      December 11, 2014 at 10:57 am

      Today is stormy and pouring rain, I'm craving comfort food - your curry looks so flavorful!

    12. Rosa

      December 11, 2014 at 7:15 am

      A mouthwatering curry and wonderful pictures! Delightful memories.

      Cheers,

      Rosa

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