Get A Taste Of Bengal's Festive Spirit With This Basonti Polao & Kosha Mangsho Recipe

From Bengali wedding feasts to festive celebrations like Durga Pujo, Kali Pujo, and Jagaddhatri Pujo, Basonti Polao (also called Holud Polao for its bright yellow colour or Mishti Polao for its savoury-sweet flavour) is a staple of 'sabeki' or traditional Bengali cuisine. According to food historian Pritha Sen, this Bengal-style pulao is a variation of the Mughal saffron-infused Zarda Pulao which found its way to the Bengali table through the Nawabs of Murshidabad and Dhaka.

Basonti Polao or Mishti Polao is a rich, indulgent, savoury-sweet rice dish made with fragrant, aged, 'aatop' or non-parboiled Gobindobhog rice, ghee, cashew nuts, and raisins. Paired with Kosha Mangsho — slow-cooked lamb or mutton — another classic of Bengali cuisine, it is the go-to celebratory meal for most Bengali festivities.

For the Basonti Polao (serves 2)

Ingredients:

1. 500 gram aged, non-parboiled Gobindobhog rice

2. 100 gram Bengali-style ghee or clarified butter

3. one thumb of ginger, finely chopped

4. slit green chillies to taste

5. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

6. 8 pieces of cardamom

7. 8 pieces of cloves

8. 2 pieces of cinnamon

9. 2 pieces of bay leaves

10. 6 tablespoon sugar

11. a handful of cashew nuts

12. a handful of raisins

13. salt to taste

14. water for cooking

Preparation:

1. Wash and rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Then leave it to air-dry over a mesh strainer.

2. Once dry, move the rice to a mixing bowl. Combine well with finely chopped ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and Bengali-style ghee. Mix well until the grains are coated evenly with the ghee and spices. Cover and set aside for an hour.

3. Bring water to boil in a large pot.

4. Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a separate kadhai and fry the cashews until lightly coloured. Add the seasoned rice and fry for about five minutes on medium heat until the rice appears translucent. Add the raisins and fry for a few more minutes.

5. Add a litre of hot water and season with salt. It is important to pay attention to the amount of water you add as it will decide how wet and soggy or dry and sticky your polao will turn out. As with most Indian dishes, instinct plays an important part here.

6. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for about 10 minutes or until the rice is al-dente.

7. Add sugar and the slit green chillies. Gently stir them into the rice, paying attention to not breaking the grains of the rice.

8. Cover and steam for a few more minutes depending on the tenderness of the rice. Let it sit for a while so the sugars dissolve and the remaining moisture is reabsorbed by the rice. Turn off the heat and let it rest before serving.

For the Kosha Mangsho (serves 2)

Ingredients:

1. 500-gram bone-in mutton or lamb

2. mustard oil as required

3. 2 sticks of cinnamon

4. 8 pieces of green cardamom

5. 1 piece of black cardamom

6. 10 pieces of cloves

7. 4 pieces dried red chillies

8. 4 pieces of bay leaves

9. 250-gram sliced onions

10. 2 tablespoon ginger paste

11. 2 tablespoon garlic paste

12. 2 tablespoon green chilli paste

13. 4 pieces of green chillies for garnish

14. 1 teaspoon coriander powder

15. 1 teaspoon cumin powder

16. 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

17. 200-gram hung curd or yoghurt

18. salt to taste

19. sugar to taste

20. water for cooking

21. Bengali-style ghee or clarified butter as required

Preparation:

1. Season the meat with salt and let it rest for a few hours in the refrigerator, or ideally overnight.

2. Heat the mustard oil in a large kadhai. Bring to the smoking point. When the oil smokes and changes colour to a pale yellow, add the dried red chillies, bay leaves, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, and cloves. Make sure to not burn the spices.

3. Add the sliced onions and fry them on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until they turn light brown. Then add the ginger paste, garlic paste, and green chilli paste, and fry for another 5 minutes or until the raw smell goes away. Keep the flame medium to low to fry the spices and develop colour on the onions. Next, add the dry spices — coriander, cumin, and red chilli — mixed with water and cook for 15 minutes.

4. By now, the onion should be cooked down and the spices should begin to release their oils. Add the marinated meat to the kadhai and mix everything thoroughly. If the meat is cold, increase the heat to cook everything evenly. Fry the meat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the surface of the kadhai. Beat the hung curd or yoghurt and add it to the kadhai, stirring vigorously so it does not split. Mix everything well and keep frying. Once the moisture begins to evaporate, drop the heat to medium and let it simmer.

5. Over the next 60-90 minutes, cook the meat slowly on low to medium heat. If things stick to the kadhai, add a splash of water to deglaze the pot. Stir, scrape, and mix any fond that forms at the surface of the kadhai to allow the gravy to develop a rich colour and flavour profile.

6. Once you are satisfied with the colour, add as much water as you'd like to give the gravy the desired consistency. Cover and cook until the mutton is tender. Garnish with the green chillies before turning off the heat. Drizzle a tablespoon of ghee and serve after a few minutes.

Although delicious when consumed fresh, Basonti Polao and Kosha Mangsho taste best once the dishes are rested and allowed to cool down for a few hours. This condenses the flavours and allows them to distribute evenly across the grains of rice and the pieces of meat.

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