Kala bhuna

Debjani Chatterjee Alam’s kala bhuna is a blackish, semi-dry beef preparation associated in her account with Bangladesh. Her Bengali recipe uses bone-in beef, mustard oil and two stages of onion preparation.

Cumin, roasted cumin, ginger and garlic pastes join the marinade, with cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, clove, mace, star anise and dried chilli. Mustard oil appears in the marinade and then carries the flavour of the fried onions into the meat pan.

The washed and dried beef is mixed with chopped onion, green chilli, pastes, cumin, salt and mustard oil. Whole spices are mixed through, the bowl is covered for resting, and roasted cumin is added before another covered rest.

Separately chopped onions and dried chillies fry until brown and crisp, then are removed from the oil. The marinated beef cooks slowly in that same oil with frequent stirring; the selected optional beaten plain curd joins during cooking.

The fried onions return as the beef darkens. Cooking continues until the meat is soft but retains its shape and the mixture has a blackish, semi-thick consistency. The selected serving pairs the hot kala bhuna with ready rice.