Mangsher Ghugni ( Dried yellow Peas cooked with small pieces of mutton

Though I love to experiment different dishes, being a bong cook makes me biased towards the Bengali flavor. Mangsher ghugni / panthar mangsher ghugni is one of the authentic dishes in Bengali cuisine which is made of dried yellow peas cooked with mutton. Too good of a combination and definitely a delicacy.

Ghugni is very popular among Bengalis and available in several types. But particularly this one is favorite at my home. From my grandmother's time, I used to see that this is being cooked in special occasions, generally served with some luchi / poori / Indian  puffed bread. It can be cooked with the minced mutton instead of small boneless pieces of mutton. Dried green peas may be used in the place of dried yellow peas, which I used to follow.

 It can be served as snacks. We usually have this after a light breakfast over the weekend. Generally we don’t cook mutton too often due to health concerns. But whenever I bring mutton, always keep one portion for this dish.

Recipe Of Mangsher Ghugni  : serves 6 to 7 people

Ingredients :

1.     Dried yellow peas- 2 cups

2.     Potato - 2 medium sized cut into small cubes

3.     Mutton - 1-1/2 cup

4.     Onion - 1 big (finely chopped)

5.     Ginger Paste- 1  tbsp

6.     Garlic Paste - 1-1/2 tbsp

7.     Tomato - 1 chopped

8.     Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp

9.     Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp or as per the taste

10.  Kashmiri Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

11.  Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

12.  Garam-masala powder - 1/2 tsp

13.  Cardamom- 3 pods

14.  Cinnamon - 1 inch

15.  Cloves - 3

16.  Dry Red chili - 1

17.  Oil - 4-5 tbsp

18.  Sugar- 1/2 tsp

19.  Salt-

20.  Chopped Onion- chopped green chilies- chopped cilantro, wedges of lemon and bhaja masla ( optional ) for garnishing

Method :

To make Bhaja Masla (roasted spice powder) : Take a pan, heat it up, add 1 tbsp of whole cumin seeds and a whole dry red chili and dry roast them until they are fragrant. Let it cool down at room-temperature, then grind them to a powder. 

1.     Wash the yellow peas and soak it for at least 3 to 4 hours, preferably overnight. Then pressure cook the peas with salt and turmeric powder on medium flame, wait for 2 whistles, turn off the gas and let the steam release automatically on its own, then Open the lid. The peas should be well cooked but not mushy.

2.      Wash the mutton and cook in a pressure cooker on medium flame, until 3 whistles come.

3.     Turn off the gas, let the steam goes by its own then open the lid. Preserve the mutton stock, take the mutton pieces and cut them into smaller (1/2 inch)  pieces. Discard the bone part.

4.     Peel the potatoes and cut them into small (1/2 inch) cubes and wash them.

5.      In a big pan put 2 tbsp oil, once oil is ready add the potato pieces. When the color of potato starts to change into golden yellow add the cooked peas. Stir it and fry it again for few minutes and keep them aside.

6.     In the same pan, add oil. When oil is ready, put whole dry garam masala (cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves) and add the whole dry red chili.

7.     Once they are aromatic and start to spatter, add the chopped onions. Stir it and add little salt. In few minutes, onion changes its color to golden brown. Add the garlic and ginger paste.

8.     Mix it and stir it nicely, until the raw smell goes off. In a small bowl, take turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, kashmiri red chili powder, 1/2 tsp sugar add 2 -3 tbsp water into it and make a paste.

9.     Add the mixture into the pan. Keep stirring until the oil starts to come out from the side of the pan. Add the tomato pieces and little salt. Stir it till the tomato gets soft.

10.  Add the cooked mutton pieces and mix it nicely with whole masala. Stir it every few minutes and let it cook for sometimes.

11.  When the mutton piece get a coat of masala and oil starts to release from the side of the pan. Add the potato and peas, again give some stirs and mix it well.

12.  Add salt and the mutton stock. Let it come to a boil, cover it with lid. Once everything is well cooked adjust the seasoning, check consistency, add the garam masla powder and mix it well.

13.  The consistency should not be too dry or too runny. Turn off the gas, pour it on a serving bowl, sprinkle some chopped onions, chopped green chilies, chopped cilantro and few drops of lemon juice and bhajamasla.

14.  Serve it with Luchi ( deep fried Indian puffed bread) or any kind of bread.