Name: Bengali mutton curry | Pathar mangsho | Kochi pathar jhol
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Bengali
Ingredients: 1 cup = 250 ml; To marinate the mutton; 1½ kg Mutton with fat, medium pieces; 150 grams Yogurt, well beaten; 3 tablespoons Ginger garlic paste; 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder; 2 teaspoons Salt; For the Ginger-Garlic paste; 2 inches Ginger, diced; 16 large cloves of Garlic; 2-3 green Chillies; 1 tablespoon Water; For the potatoes; 5 medium Potatoes; ½ teaspoon Salt; ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder; Other ingredients for the kochi pathar jhol; 6 Onions, thinly sliced; ⅓ cup Yogurt, beaten; 3-4 green Chillies; 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta); 5 Cloves (Laung); 2-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini); 5 Cardamoms (hari Elaichi); 1-2 dry red Chillies; 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder; 1½ teaspoons Red chilli powder; 2 teaspoons Cumin powder; 2 teaspoons Coriander powder; 1½ teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder

Pathar mangsho aka kochi pathar jhol is a pure Bengali delicacy and one of the most popular dishes among Bengalis, frequently prepared on weekends. Bengali mutton curry is a flavoured, spicy baby goat meat curry where tender and juicy goat meat pieces are dunked in dark brown gravy along with large potato chunks. Marinated goat meat is slowly cooked with onion, ginger-garlic, yogurt, and some specific spices in this preparation. Mangshor jhol is mostly accompanied with steamed rice and rotis.

Table of Contents

About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make Bengali mutton curry (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

What is Kochi pathar jhol?

Kochi pathar jhol is one of the asset recipes of Bengali cuisine. It is a Bengali name and the name describes the recipe itself. The word ‘Kochi patha’ means ‘baby goat’ and ‘Jhol’ means ‘Runny gravy’. In short, it is a runny goat meat curry.

Though chicken curries are immensely popular among non-vegetarians but still Bengalis have a special soft corner and craving for mutton for ages. For regular home style mangsher jhol, chicken is frequently cooked in every Bengali house due to health awareness. But whenever it’s about the classic delight, most Bengalis prefer mutton over chicken like kochi pathar jhol or kosha mangsho recipe. Mutton takes longer to cook. So, Bongs prefer to cook it on Sundays. Hence, this luscious mutton curry is also known as Robibarer mangshor jhol.

Whenever I talk about pathar mangsho, it always makes me feel nostalgic. Anytime I think about the tempting Bengali mutton curry, I always feel lucky to be a Bengali. During our childhood days, any holiday or Sunday would mean Mutton for lunch. Most of the times, either it is kochi pathar jhol or its Mutton kosha. Both are extremely comforting and delectable dishes and my all-time favourite as well.

I still remember how my dad used to bring fresh-cut mutton from the market on Sundays and went to the terrace to clean it. After that, how my mom used to start the preparation for mangshor jhol since morning and used to slow cook it with handsome amount of time in kadai. She never uses a pressure cooker for the recipe like the traditional way. The whole house used to smell divine right from the morning. We used to impatiently wait for lunch and get hungry earlier than normal lunch time. I know many of you have the same childhood story like me.

According to me, pathar mangsho aka kochi pathar jhol is a simple and easy to cook. You just need some preparations and enough time to cook it properly. All the ingredients required to prepare the Bengali mutton curry recipe are easily available in any Bengali kitchen pantry. The best part of the dish is that it tastes even better on the next day. So, you can cook it a day before any celebration.

Ingredients for Bengali mutton curry

Red meat: Traditional and classic mangsho jhol is prepared with goat meat but can be replaced with lamb too. Red meat takes longer to get cooked, so I don’t suggest chicken for the recipe. The taste and texture of red meat cannot be substituted with chicken.

Potato: The addition of potato chunks are the specialities of the Bengali mutton curry.

Onion, Ginger-garlic: Like any other mutton recipe, the addition of onion, garlic, ginger is compulsory to get a rich, flavoured and delicious curry.

Mustard oil: Always use mustard oil to cook the recipe like any other traditional Bengali food. It enhances the taste and flavour of the Bengali mutton curry.

Yogurt: It is one of the essential components to marinate the mutton. It helps the mutton pieces to get tender and gives a creamy texture to the gravy.

Whole spices: Add whole spices like bay leaf, dry red chillies, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and green cardamoms into the oil for tempering. These spices induce a nice aroma into the oil. So, try not to skip any of these whole spices.

Ground spices: Other than whole spices, I have used ground spices turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, Bengali garam masala powder for the recipe. All the spices help to develop nice flavour and taste to the dish.

Ghee: For the finishing touch, ghee aka clarified butter is added at the end of cooking. It vastly enhances the taste and flavour of the dish.

Sugar & Salt: For the taste of the dish.

Water: It is added to adjust the consistency of the gravy.

Bengali mutton curry step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instruction’ section of the recipe. I have included all the tips and tricks below to help you meet the perfection during the time of preparing the recipe. If you follow each step of my recipe precisely then it would surely give a throwback to your nostalgia.

Tips to prepare perfect Pathar mangsho

Always marinate the goat meat for at least 1 hour for better flavour, taste and texture.
Always use homemade fresh ginger-garlic paste for the recipe rather than readymade ones for a more intense flavour.
Use thinly sliced onion for the recipe. Onion paste or diced onion won’t give you the perfect texture.
Caramelize the onion for better colour and taste of the gravy.
Always cook mangshor jhol in mustard oil. It will give you a better taste and flavour.
Don’t skip the whole spices. It induces a nice aroma into the oil.
Be patient and slow-cook the mutton till tender and juicy. Stir in between in regular intervals.
Use Bengali garam masala rather than readymade Punjabi garam masala to get the authentic Bengali flavour of the dish.
Add ghee at the end of cooking to enhance the taste and flavour of the mangsho jhol.

Frequently asked Questions

Can I use a pressure cooker to prepare pathar mangsho?

It is tough to answer just by saying a word yes or no. It can be prepared in a pressure cooker, but the taste and flavour won’t be the same which comes from slow cooking. So, I recommend not using a pressure cooker for the classic recipe.

How to eat pathar mangsho?

Pathar mangsho aka kochi pathar jhol is a rich flavoured and utterly scrumptious recipe that can pair up very easily with items. According to me, it is one of the most versatile mutton curry recipes. But still, the most popular hook-up of kochi pathar jhol is with plain rice, roti, and paratha.

Can I use other meat for the pathar mangsho?

Yes, you can try lamb instead of goat meat following the same recipe and other ingredients.

Can I use chicken for the recipe?

Kochi pathar jhol is prepared with goat meat which is red meat and we all know red meat takes longer to get cook. Murgir jhol can be prepared using this recipe, but it will get cooked much earlier than red meat. So, you need to keep your eyes on it.

How can I prepare a vegetarian version of kochi pathar jhol?

Echor aka green jackfruit is the best option for the vegetarian version of it. Cauliflower or soya chunks can also be used for the vegetarian version.

How to make Bengali mutton curry?

To prepare the Bengali mutton curry, first wash the mutton pieces nicely and keep them in a large mixing bowl. I have used fresh goat meat for the recipe.

For traditional kochi pathar jhol, mutton does not need to be marinated but still I have marinated the mutton just for an hour.

Add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt and turmeric powder over the mutton pieces. Mix everything evenly so that each piece gets coated with the masala. Then cover the bowl with cling film or with a plate for at least 1 hour.

For the preparation of mangshor jhol, thinly slice the onions and keep them aside.

Peel the potatoes and cut each medium-sized potato into two pieces. Wash them and add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and mix it nicely to coat each potato piece. Keep it aside.

Take a jar of a grinder and add peeled garlic cloves, ginger cubes and green chillies into it. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 4 tablespoons mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot. Generally, most of the traditional Bengali food is cooked in Mustard oil. It gives an outstanding flavour to the dish.

Add the marinated potato chunks into the pan and then fry them evenly over medium to medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes till crisp and golden brown in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.

In the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices – 2 bay leaves, 1-2 dry red chillies, 4 cloves, 2-inch cinnamon stick, 5 cardamoms, and let them crackle. The amalgamation of these whole spices with mustard oil creates an epic flavour which is the secret of many Bengali recipes.

Now, add 1 tablespoon of sugar into the pan and stir it continuously over low flame. Allow the sugar to melt. Then immediately, add the sliced onion and give a quick stir. Cover the pan and cook it on medium-high flame for 15-20 minutes till soft and brown in colour. Stir in regular intervals.

Then add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste into the pan and mix it nicely. Cook it in medium flame for another 5-6 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the masala releases oil.

Now, add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder one by one into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for another 5-6 minutes.

Then add beaten yogurt and mix it well. Cook it over low flame for another 5 minutes.

After this, add cumin powder, coriander powder and mix it well. Cook it over low flame for another couple of minutes.

Then add the marinated mutton pieces into the pan and mix it nicely with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it on high flame for 25-30 minutes. Cook it until the mutton pieces release water. Stir in between at regular intervals.

Now, turn the flame to lowest and allow the mutton to slow cook in its juice for 40-50 minutes. Stir in every 10-15 minutes interval. Don’t forget to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan.

Now it’s time to add green chillies, fried potatoes into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it until the water gets evaporated. Then add hot water to the pan and give a nice stir. You can adjust the amount of water according to your desired consistency of the gravy. Cook it in medium flame until the mutton pieces get tender and juicy. Stir frequently on regular intervals or else the gravy will stick to the bottom of the pan.

Remember the duration of cooking may vary due to the quality of meat. Some red meat takes longer to completely get cooked. So, keep your eye on it.

At the final stage of cooking, add Bengali garam masala powder (a ground spice mixture that contains an equal portion of cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves) and ghee (clarified butter), one by one into the pan. These two ingredients flavour up the Bengali mutton curry and take the dish to a different level. Cook it on low flame for another 2-3 minutes and switch of the flame. Check the salt of the gravy. Add some if needed and mix it well. Turn off the flame.

Many mutton recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check few of them like

Mutton kosha
Niramish pathar mangsho
Mutton korma

..And Many more…

Ingredients:

1 cup = 250 ml

To marinate the mutton

1½ kg Mutton with fat, medium pieces
150 grams Yogurt, well beaten
3 tablespoons Ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 teaspoons Salt

For the Ginger-Garlic paste

2 inches Ginger, diced
16 large cloves of Garlic
2-3 green Chillies
1 tablespoon Water

For the potatoes

5 medium Potatoes
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Turmeric powder

Other ingredients for the kochi pathar jhol

6 Onions, thinly sliced
⅓ cup Yogurt, beaten
3-4 green Chillies
2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
5 Cloves (Laung)
2-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
5 Cardamoms (hari Elaichi)
1-2 dry red Chillies
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1½ teaspoons Red chilli powder
2 teaspoons Cumin powder
2 teaspoons Coriander powder
1½ teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder
½ tablespoon Ghee aka clarified butter
1 tablespoon Sugar
Salt to taste
5 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
5 cups hot Water for gravy

Instructions:

First wash 1½ kg mutton pieces nicely and keep it in a large mixing bowl. I have used fresh goat meat for the recipe. Note: For traditional kochi pathar jhol, mutton does not need to be marinated but still for better result, I have marinated the mutton just for an hour.
Add 150 grams yogurt, 3 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder over the mutton pieces. Mix everything evenly so that each piece gets coated with the masala. Then cover the bowl with cling film or with a plate for at least 1 hour.
For the preparation of mangshor jhol, thinly slice the onions and keep them aside.
Peel 5 medium potatoes and cut each medium-sized potato into two pieces. Wash them and add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and mix it nicely to coat each potato piece. Keep it aside.
Take a jar of a grinder and add peeled 16 garlic cloves, 2 inches ginger cut into cubes and green chillies into it. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
Now, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 4 tablespoons mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
Add the marinated potato chunks into the pan and then fry them evenly over medium to medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes till crisp and golden brown in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.
In the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of mustard oil if needed. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices – 2 bay leaves, 1-2 dry red chillies, 4 cloves, 2-inch cinnamon stick, 5 cardamoms and let them crackle.
Now, add 1 tablespoon sugar into the pan and stir it continuously over low flame. Allow the sugar to melt.
Immediately, add the sliced onion and give a quick stir. Cover the pan and cook it on medium high flame for 15-20 minutes till soft and brown in colour. Stir in regular intervals.
Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste into the pan and mix it nicely. Cook it in medium flame for another 5-6 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the masala releases oil.
Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1½ teaspoons red chilli powder, one by one into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for another 5-6 minutes.
Add ⅓ cup beaten yogurt and mix it well. Cook it over low flame for another 5 minutes.
Add 2 teaspoons cumin powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder and mix it well. Cook it over low flame for another couple of minutes.
Add the marinated mutton pieces into the pan and mix it nicely with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it in high flame for 25-30 minutes. Cook it until the mutton pieces release moisture. Stir in between in regular intervals.
Now turn the flame to lowest and allow the mutton to slow cook in its juice for 40-50 minutes. Stir in every 15 minutes interval. Don’t forget to scrap the sides and bottom of the pan.
Now it’s time to add 3-4 green chillies, fried potatoes into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it until the water gets evaporated.
Add 5 cups hot water into the pan and give a nice stir. You can adjust the amount of water according to your desired consistency of the gravy.
Cook it in medium flame until the mutton pieces get tender and juicy. Stir frequently on regular intervals or else the gravy will stick to the bottom of the pan. Note: Remember the duration of cooking may vary due to the quality of meat. Some red meat takes longer to completely get cooked. So, keep your eye into it.
At the final stage of cooking, add 1½ teaspoons Bengali garam masala powder and ½ tablespoon ghee (clarified butter), one by one into the pan and mix it well. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes and switch of the flame.

Serving Instruction

Transfer the pathar mangsho into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy the best taste. Relish the authentic Bengali recipe with steamed rice and enjoy weekends meal.