Beef Bhuna (Gorur Mangsho Bhuna)
গরুর মাংস ভুনা Gorur mangsho bhunaSay it: goh-ROOR MANG-shoh BHOO-nah
At Eid tables and everyday dinners, beef bhuna arrives as a dark, glossy dish with a thick masala that coats each cube rather than pooling around it. The slow fry gives the meat a deep savoury edge, with mustard oil, caramelised onions and whole spices doing most of the work. Choose a heavy pan and keep the heat patient—this is a dish for a long, unhurried cook.
Beef Bhuna (Gorur Mangsho Bhuna)
গরুর মাংস ভুনা, Gorur mangsho bhuna
Pronounced goh-ROOR MANG-shoh BHOO-nah
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Total
- 3 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains milk, mustard. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Whole spices
Main ingredients
Method
Warm the oil in a heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. For mustard oil, let it shimmer and just begin to smoke, then lower to medium. Add cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns; fry 30 seconds, until aromatic.
Add onions and a pinch of salt. Stir regularly and cook until deeply golden, 12–15 minutes.
Mix in ginger and garlic pastes for 1 minute. Add beef, salt, turmeric, chili powder, cumin and coriander. Turn heat to medium-high, combine well, and cook 8–10 minutes, until beef browns and spices darken.
Reduce heat. Stir in yogurt a spoonful at a time, mixing after each. Add tomato and green chilies. Cook over medium, stirring often, until tomato collapses and oil separates from masala, 10–12 minutes.
Add hot water, stir, cover, and set heat low. Simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes, until beef is very tender. If pan dries before meat is tender, add water 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time.
Remove lid, raise heat to medium, and stir-fry beef in reduced masala until dark, thick and glossy and oil separates at edges, 8–10 minutes.
Stir in garam masala and check salt; cook 2 minutes more. Turn off heat, rest 5 minutes, scatter cilantro, and serve hot.
Regional variant: Mutton Bhuna (Khashi Mangsho Bhuna)
Use the same weight of goat or lamb, preferably bone-in pieces, instead of beef. Cook by the same method, but allow 30–45 minutes extra simmering, until the meat pulls easily from the bone. The masala will darken and the meat’s fat will melt into the sauce.
Cook's notes
- The bhuna character develops as the masala is fried after each addition of liquid; give the onions and final stir-fry the time they need.
- Chuck or shank works well; cut against the grain into even cubes for uniform cooking.
- If mustard oil tastes too sharp, blend it half-and-half with a neutral oil.
Serve with
Steamed basmati rice or plain pulao, paratha or luchi, with cucumber slices, red onion and lemon wedges.
Make ahead and storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days; the flavour deepens. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
