The Ultimate Slow-Cooked Champaran Mutton Recipe for Feast Days
Bihar’s famous handi mutton: whole spices, lots of garlic and onion, mustard oil and a long, gentle cook in a sealed pot. Worth the wait.
Raw materials
Bone-in mutton is traditional for this dish and gives the gravy its body. Two packs serve four.
Ingredients
Method
Marinate, brown, seal and wait. The long, low cook does the rest.
- 01Get set
Take the mutton out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Do not wash it: Meatigo mutton is cleaned and ready to cook from pack to pan.
- 02Marinate
Mix the garlic paste, ginger paste, curd, chilli powder, turmeric and salt and coat the mutton. Marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge for best results.
- 03Heat the mustard oil
Heat the mustard oil in a heavy handi or pot until it just smokes, then lower the heat and add the ghee. Mustard oil should be heated until the raw smell disappears.
- 04Brown the onions and spices
Add the whole spices and let them crackle for 30 seconds. Add the onions and whole garlic and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden.
- 05Add the mutton
Add the marinated mutton and the green chillies. Cook on high for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the meat is browned and the oil begins to rise.
- 06Seal and slow cook
Cover with a lid and seal the edge with the dough. Cook on the lowest heat for about 2 hours, shaking the pot gently now and then instead of opening it. Do not add water: the meat cooks in its own juices.
- 07Open and rest
Break the seal. The meat should come away from the bone easily. If there is too much liquid, cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes and serve with rice, litti or roti.
Questions
What makes Champaran mutton different?+
Mustard oil, whole garlic and onion in quantity, minimal tomato or water, and the sealed slow cook (dum) in a handi, which concentrates the flavour.
Can I use a pressure cooker?+
Yes, for speed: cook for 5 to 6 whistles after browning. The flavour is a little less concentrated than the sealed handi.
Is it very spicy?+
Heat comes from the dried chillies, pepper and green chillies. Reduce those to suit your taste.
Start with the ribs and chops
Fresh bone-in mutton from Meatigo, delivered to your door.
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