Mutton Rezala is one of the richest and most fragrant Bengali dishes, popular for tender mutton cooked with creamy and aromatic gravy. Our Mutton rezala recipe yields the perfect balance between spices, yoghurt, and cream while cooking, therefore indulgent and satisfying. This magnificent mutton curry, traditionally prepared for special occasions at home, is now commonly cooked in kitchens. In this mutton rezala recipe, mutton pieces are made tender and cooked slowly with excellent yoghurt, cashew paste, and different spices, including cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. The mutton absorbs all these spices completely to become immensely rich and tender and melts in your mouth. Fried onions and a hint of saffron give the dish its golden hue and intensify the flavours further. This curry is slow-cooked, as the spiciness, sweetness, and a touch of savoury flavours are balanced in such a way as to make it so unique. Mutton Rezala is primarily served with steamed basmati rice, paratha, or pulao, where the flavoured gravy complements fluffy rice or flatbreads. Be it a festival or family dinner, this mutton rezala recipe pushes your cooking skills to new heights as well as leaves your guests speechless with such complexity and intense aroma. This richness of the gravy complements soft mutton into an unforgettable dish about which everyone will ask for seconds and more. Try this mutton rezala recipe and bring Bengali flavours to your kitchen.

• 500 gms mutton
• 300 ml curd
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp black peppercorn
• 3-4 dry red chilli
• 2 bay leaf
• 3 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp cashew
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

• Let's begin with the marinate for the mutton pieces.
• Mix all the above ingredients in a large bowl: curd, onion paste, ginger, garlic paste, salt, and mix well to coat the mutton pieces evenly with the marinade.
• Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 - 2 hours, or even overnight if you have the time.
• Once the mutton is well marinated, add 2 Tbsps of ghee clarified butter to a pressure cooker on medium heat.
• Mix and add whole spices for tempering. This will typically include 2-3 green cardamom, 2-3 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon stick, and two bay leaves.
• Let this infusion of spices sizzle in their fragrance and infuse the ghee with its aroma.
• After draining the excess marinade on the mutton pieces, put them into the pressure cooker.
• Fry the mutton for 2-3 minutes in medium-high heat.
• Stir occasionally so that the meat is adequately seared on all sides, locking the juices from inside the mutton.
• After browning the mutton, add the remaining marinade to it along with 2 cups of warm water; stir well and pour it into the pressure cooker containing mutton.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, close the lid and cook with 4 to 5 whistles.
• Meanwhile, in the large wok or pan, where mutton is being cooked on medium heat, melt in the balance ghee and pour approximately 3-4 Tbsps of it.
• Now add the remaining onion paste and saut for approximately 1-2 minutes, which allows onions to caramelise, thus giving the rich flavour to the gravy.
• Now add the poppy seed paste and cashew paste to the onions, and mix well for the next 2-3 minutes.
• Add a pinch of crushed mace and 1/4 Tsp of nutmeg powder.
• This gives added warmth and depth to the flavoured profile of the dish.
• Once the ghee has separated from the masala, add the partially cooked mutton pieces from the pressure cooker to the wok.
• Toss the mutton for 4 to 5 minutes till the meat absorbs all the flavours of the onion, cashew, and poppy seed paste.
• Add the spiced mutton stock - that liquid from your pressure cooker - to the pan. Stir well and bring to a boil.
• Allow the curry to simmer covered over low heat until the mutton is well-cooked and the gravy has thickened.
• Once the mutton is cooked, season with salt and sugar. Mix the preparation so that the flavours also spread uniformly.
• Once well-cooked, switch off the flame and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Add a dollop of ghee on top for an added richness.
• Serve the recipe of Mutton Rezala over hot steamed basmati rice, paratha, and naan.