Bhuna Gosht Playful Cooking

The key to a good Bhuna Gosht lies in the patience and letting it slow cook so the spices blends, coating on the meat. You will notice how the color of the meat changes from a mild yellow to a rich red color with robust aroma.

What is Bhuna Gosht ?

The name itself is indicative of its preparation style: “bhuna” means “to roast” or “to fry,” and “gosht” translates to “meat.” This dish, with its roots in the Mughal era, is a testament to the art of slow-cooking, allowing the spices to infuse deeply into the meat, creating an unforgettable culinary experience. I don’t cook mutton on busy weekdays. I always prefer slow cooking it on a stove top, so it is often a weekend meal. While it takes a long time, but the over all prepping and effort is quite minimal.

Ingredients you need for Bhuna Gosht

Mutton - I like to use goat meat, chopped in bite size, with a mix of boneless and bone-in meats. Bone in mutton always adds more flavor, but if you prefer only boneless, that is fine too. Onion - I always use red onion when I cook meat, as the sweetness of red onion really adds to the dish. Here I have used a lot of onion. Some of which I use while marinating the mutton and rest I use while preparing the bhuna gosht. Ginger Garlic & Green Chili - Based on your spice level, you can add as much green chili as you want. You can choose to add some slit green chili while preparing the mutton or just blend the garlic, ginger and green chili to a paste. And marinate the mutton with that like how I did in this recipe. Spices - I used few whole spices while preparing the mutton and few ground spices while marinating the goat meat. The whole spices you need are cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms and black cardamoms. The ground spices you will need are turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. As you can see, I didn’t use the lot of spices. It’s minimal, and sometimes it’s not about the spices but also about the cooking method. Oil - I always use mustard oil when I prepare mutton curry, and it’s a personal choice. For this dish you can use regular vegetable oil with a mix of ghee or just regular vegetable oil. Few other ingredients - Fresh cilantro leaves and fresh lime or lemon juice. The exact measurement is mentioned in the recipe card below.

Serving Suggestions

Bhuna Gosht is traditionally served with Indian bread such as naan, roti, or paratha. It also pairs beautifully with steamed basmati rice or jeera rice. Accompaniments like beetroot raita or a simple salad can provide a refreshing contrast to the richness of the dish.

Steps to prepare

Although the dish takes a long time to prepare, the steps are quite simple and effortless. 1- In a bowl, add the goat meat and add all the ground spices along with ginger, garlic and green chili paste. 2- While marinating, I add some of the sliced onion to it. The onion softens as it marinates and then when it cooks with the goat meat, it adds a mild sweetness that goes so well in this dish. 3- When you are ready to prepare the dish, heat a heavy bottom pan and add mustard oil. Once the oil heats up, add the whole spices and let it sizzle for a while. Be careful since the whole spices can splatter at times in hot oil. 4- Scatter the remaining sliced onion, season with little salt and cook the onion, until it’s softened and mild golden. 5- Add the marinated goat meat and stir it around to sear the meat. 6- Finely chop some of the cilantro stems and add to the meat. Sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the raw aroma of the spices are gone, and you can see oil released from the side. 7- Pour ½ cup of hot water, lower the heat to medium low, cover the pan and let it simmer for 15 minutes. 8- The next 1 and ½, keep adding a little water every 15 minutes, stir it around cover and let it simmer. You will notice the color will get richer and turn into a gorgeous red hue. Once the meat is cooked through, check for salt and add more if needed. If there is still a lot of water, then continue cooking uncovered until it looks like a jammy sauce, coating the meat. Garnish with cilantro leaves and enjoy warm. Bhuna Gosht is more than just a meal; it’s a reflection of the rich culinary heritage of the Indian subcontinent. Its deep, complex flavors, achieved through meticulous cooking techniques, make it a dish worth savoring. Whether served at a festive gathering or enjoyed as a special family meal, Bhuna Gosht never fails to impress.