Entree: Bangladesh – Bengali River Delta – গরুর মাংস ভুনা ➤ gorur mangsho bhuna (Thick, pan-braised Bengali beef curry in a deeply reduced spiced-onion sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 35 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Total 2 hrs 5 min

Ingredients

- 1.5 lb (680 g) beef chuck, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) mustard oil or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp (30 g) ghee or unsalted butter (optional)
- 3 large (about 15 oz / 425 g) onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp (30 g) garlic-ginger paste
- 3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
- 2 medium (about 10 oz / 280 g) tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 small (about 1 in / 2.5 cm) cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) turmeric powder
- 1 tsp (2 g) Kashmiri or regular red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp (2 g) garam masala
- 1.5 tsp (8 g) fine salt, adjust to taste
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (60 g) plain yogurt, beaten (optional, for slight tang and tenderness)
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed deep skillet or kadhai over medium-high heat until shimmering; if using ghee, add it once the oil is hot.
2. Add cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon; fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt; cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until onions are deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 20–25 minutes. Reduce heat if onions begin to burn.
4. Stir in garlic-ginger paste and green chilies; cook 2–3 minutes until raw aroma disappears.
5. Add ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and chili powder; fry 1–2 minutes to bloom the spices.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes break down and oil begins to separate from the mixture, about 6–8 minutes.
7. Increase heat to medium-high, add the cubed beef, and sear for 4–6 minutes until pieces are browned on all sides and coated with the spice-onion masala.
8. Stir in 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until beef is tender, about 1 to 1.25 hours, stirring occasionally and adding small splashes of water only if the pan dries out.
9. If using, stir in beaten yogurt during the last 10–15 minutes of cooking; uncover and increase heat to medium-high to reduce the sauce until it is thick and clings to the beef, 8–12 minutes. Adjust salt.
10. Finish with garam masala and chopped cilantro; rest 5 minutes then serve hot with steamed rice, rotis, or luchi.