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Bangladeshi mutton rezala
মাটন রেজালা (mutton rezala): Dhaka's pale, rich mutton curry with yoghurt, poppy seed and cashew
Rezala is the elegant one on a Dhaka dawat table, a creamy, ivory-coloured mutton curry that looks mild and then surprises you with the slow heat of whole dried chillies swimming on top. Its roots are in the Mughal kitchens that reached Bengal through Murshidabad and Old Dhaka, and today it turns up at Eid lunches and wedding receptions beside polao or soft naan. There is no turmeric and no red chilli powder in the gravy; the body comes from yoghurt, a paste of white poppy seeds and cashews, and onions cooked gently so they never brown. The classic mistake is frying the onion paste too hot, which turns the gravy beige and bitter instead of pale. Chef's tip: grind the poppy seeds and cashews after soaking them in warm milk or water for 20 minutes, so the paste is completely smooth.
- Total time
- 125 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the mutton
- 7 oz thick plain yoghurtwhisked
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp salt
For the gravy
- 2 tbsp white poppy seeds
- 1 ⅜ oz cashews
- ½ cup warm water
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 cinnamon stick5 cm
- 3 onionsblended to a smooth paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
- 1 /2 tsp kewra water (optional)
- 3 tbsp single cream (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 2 ¼ lb bone-in mutton or goat, curry cut with 7 oz thick plain yoghurt, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ground white pepper and 2 tsp salt; cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 2: Soak 2 tbsp white poppy seeds and 1 ⅜ oz cashews in ½ cup warm water for 20 minutes, then blend to a smooth, thick paste.
Step 3: Heat 4 tbsp ghee and 2 tbsp neutral oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat and add 6 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 bay leaves; let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
2 minStep 4: Turn the heat to low-medium, add 3 onions and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until it smells sweet and cooked but is still pale; do not let it brown.
10 minStep 5: Add the mutton with all its marinade, raise the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until the meat turns opaque.
10 minStep 6: Pour in 1 ¼ cups hot water, cover and simmer over a low heat for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mutton is tender and pulls easily from the bone.
70 minStep 7: Stir in the poppy-cashew paste and 1 tsp sugar and simmer uncovered for 6–8 minutes until the gravy is thick and creamy and the fat floats to the edges.
8 minStep 8: Tuck in 6 whole dried red chillies and simmer for 2 more minutes so they soften and release their heat without burning.
2 minStep 9: Finish with 1 /2 tsp kewra water and a swirl of 3 tbsp single cream, rest for 5 minutes and serve with polao, naan or soft parathas.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bangladeshi mutton rezala take?
- About 125 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of thick plain yoghurt?
- Greek yoghurt loosened with a little milk.
- What can I use instead of ginger paste?
- Grated fresh ginger, same amount.
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