Mutton Kala Bhuna- A flavour Bomb of a Recipe

The first time I tasted mutton kala bhuna was at a tiny restaurant in Kolkata serving Bangladeshi food. The meat was tender, the colour a deep black, and the flavour unforgettable. Originating in Chittagong, this dish holds a special place in Bangladeshi cuisine. It’s often reserved for Eid or family feasts. The name kala bhuna literally means “black roast,” which comes from the technique of slow-cooking meat in its own spices until it turns dark and caramelised. Unlike typical Bengali curries, there’s no gravy. The meat is dry, coated with richly roasted masalas.

Over time, Bangladeshi kala bhuna found its way to Kolkata. Restaurants offering Dhakai and Chittagong-style food brought the dish into public view. Food blogs and YouTube channels from Bangladesh popularised the recipe even more. Slowly, it entered the home kitchens. What makes it different is the absence of sweetness and the intense use of black pepper, kebab chini (tailed pepper), and slow-roasted onions.

Mutton Kala Bhuna, now has a loyal fan base in Kolkata

Today, mangshor kala bhuna has a loyal fan base in Bengal. It pairs beautifully with light pulao, like a gondhoraj ghol polao or a kaju kishmish polao. A paratha or even plain rice will do. Many home cooks have adapted the dish with their own touches, but the soul remains unchanged—dark, smoky, and bold. For those tired of the usual Sunday mangshor jhol, this is a rich, flavour-packed alternative. It’s a dish worth the slow cooking time and a proud addition to any festive Bengali meal.

In case you want to know about Morich Mangsho – here is the recipe –

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Mutton Kala Bhuna

It's a Bangladeshi mutton recipe that almost black in colour and that comes from slow roasting

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Course Main Course, Meats other than chicken and fish, Non Vegetarian

Cuisine Bangladeshi, Bengali

Servings 10 people

Ingredients

  

• 2 kg mutton, with bone and fat
• 1 kg onion, finely sliced
• 2½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp green chili paste (optional)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 3 tsp kala bhuna masala
• ⅓ cup oil from frying the onions
• juice of one lemon
• 1 cup mustard oil
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp coriander powder

Kala bhuna Masala

• 4 dry red chilies
• 1 mace
• 1 star anise
• ½ inch cinnamon
• 4 green cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 15 whole black pepper
• 1 tsp radhuni seeds (celery seeds)
• 8 kebab chini (tailed pepper)

Instructions

 

• Marinate the sliced onions (half of it-1 kg) with a pinch of salt for 10 mins. Squeeze out water and deep fry until golden brown. Set aside ⅓ cup of the frying oil.
• In a bowl, mix mutton with ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, salt, fried onions (beresta), and onion-flavoured oil. Let it sit for 2-3 hours
• In a heavy pan, cook the marinated mutton on high heat for 3–4 mins. Cover and cook on medium heat for another 5–7 mins.
• Once some moisture is released, transfer to a pressure cooker. Add water to just cover the meat (if there is enough water released from the mutton, then you don't need to add extra water). Cook for 4-5 whistles until 80% done.
• Dry roast mace, green cardamom, cumin, star anise, radhuni, kabab chini, fennel, cinnamon, black pepper, black cardamom, and cloves. Cool and grind into a fine powder.
• In mustard oil, sauté the balance sliced onions until golden. Add ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, and coriander powder. Cook the spices well.
• Add the boiled mutton (without the liquid from the pressure cooker), lemon juice, and kala bhuna masala. Cook uncovered on low heat, stirring often, and adding a ladle full of the gravy each time when the moisture evaporates.
• Continue this process till the meat turns deep brown-black and the oil separates. And Make sure to use up all the mutton stock while slow cooking this. This part takes a good 2 hours of hard work.
• This Mutton Kala Bhuna is best enjoyed with light pulao or paratha and a squeeze of lime. The deep, intense flavours are worth every minute of slow cooking.

Keyword bengali mutton curry, bengali mutton recipe, mutton kala bhuna