Mutton Rezala White Mughlai Curry Bengal

Ingredients

• 700 g mutton — bone-in pieces
• 1 cup yogurt — beaten very smooth
• 2 large onions — made into smooth paste (blend raw with 2 tbsp water)
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp garlic paste
• 4 green chilli — slit (the only source of heat — no red chilli powder used)
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 6 green cardamom — lightly crushed
• 6 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2 bay leaf
• 1 tsp white pepper powder (not black pepper — white pepper is traditional)
• 1/4 tsp mace powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
• kewra water — 1 tsp
• rose water — 1 tsp
• salt to taste
• fried onion slices for garnish

Method

1. Marinate the mutton: In a wide bowl combine mutton pieces with beaten yogurt, ginger paste and garlic paste. Mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for minimum 3 hours — overnight gives noticeably better tenderness and flavour absorption. The yogurt tenderises the meat and the spices penetrate deeply.
2. Make the onion paste: Blend 2 large onions with 2 tbsp water until a very smooth, completely uniform white paste forms. There should be no chunks. This smooth onion paste is what creates the pale, creamy character of rezala — unlike most curries that use chopped onion which turns golden-brown.
3. Heat ghee: Place a heavy pot on medium heat. Add 3 tbsp ghee. Let it melt and become hot. Ghee is essential — oil produces a distinctly inferior result in this recipe.
4. Add whole spices to the ghee: Add crushed green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Let them sizzle for 20 seconds until very fragrant.
5. Add the onion paste: Add the smooth raw onion paste to the hot ghee and spices. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes. The onion paste must cook through — it will change from white to very lightly golden. Do not let it brown — a browned onion paste will ruin the pale colour of the rezala.
6. Add the marinated mutton: Add the mutton with all the marinade to the lightly cooked onion paste. Stir well to combine. Cook on medium-high heat for 8 minutes, stirring and turning pieces, until the yogurt moisture reduces and the masala coats the meat.
7. Add white pepper, mace and nutmeg: Turn to low heat. Add white pepper powder, mace powder and nutmeg powder. Stir for 1 minute. These spices — not red chilli — provide the warmth of rezala. Add the slit green chilli.
8. Cook covered until very tender: Add salt. Cover the pot tightly. Cook on the lowest heat for 40 to 45 minutes until the mutton is very tender — it should begin to fall away from the bone. Check every 15 minutes — add 2 tbsp water if the pot looks dry.
9. Finish with kewra and rose water: Open the lid. The gravy should be pale golden-white and thick. Add kewra water and rose water. Stir gently. These floral waters are the Mughlai signature of rezala.
10. Garnish and serve: Scatter fried onion slices on top. Serve with naan or roomali roti (thin, large flatbread). The pale white gravy is the visual signature of rezala — it should look entirely different from any other mutton curry.
11. Note: Rezala is a Mughlai-derived preparation preserved in the Muslim cooking traditions of Kolkata — particularly the communities of the Ripon Street and Narkeldanga areas. It is served at Kolkata Muslim weddings, Eid celebrations and at the famous old Mughlai restaurants of the city. The complete absence of red chilli and turmeric makes it unlike any other mutton curry in India.