Champaran Mutton Curry

Name: Champaran Mutton Curry
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 150 g/5 oz/1 cup plain/all-purpose wholemeal/wholewheat flour; 4–5 cloves; 2 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp hot chilli powder; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp Garam Masala (store-bought); 3–4 green cardamom pods; 2 whole garlic bulbs, unpeeled; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup mustard oil; 350 g/12 oz onions, chopped; 4–5 black peppercorns, crushed; 2 tsp salt; 1 tbsp ground coriander; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 bay leaf; 2 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro; salt, to taste; ½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed; 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; 200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup water; 500 g/1 lb 2 oz boneless mutton; 3 green chillies, slit; 100 g/3½ oz/generous ⅓ cup plain yogurt; 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; ½ tsp salt; 2 black cardamom pods; 2 tsp ground cumin; 3 dried red chillies

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Yatra

By Rohit Ghai

Published 2025

About

This dish has its roots in Champaran, a district of Bihar. The meat is steam-cooked in a rich mix of mustard oil, onions and ginger with whole garlic bulbs until very tender. Traditionally made in a handi (earthenware pot) sealed with dough to trap the steam inside, it would have been cooked slowly over the embers of a wood fire.

Ingredients

500 g/1 lb 2 oz boneless mutton
2

Asia
India
Bihar
Main course

Method

First, make the dough by mixing together the flour and salt in a bowl. Gradually add water, as much as needed, to form a dough. Knead until firm and smooth. Set aside.

Cut the mutton into bite-size chunks, place in a separate bowl and add all the marinade ingredients. Mix well and set aside while you prepare the gravy.

In a frying pan, dry-roast the coriander seeds and cumin see