I was kind of relaxed when I was clicking the pictures for this post. I calculated even that it is going to take very little time to conceptualize it but here I am; totally confused! Not that I am going to write about anything fancy or complicated instead it is something quintessentially Bengali; nothing but Mangsher Ghughni!

Mangsher Ghughni!

Starting from Alu Kabli to Phuchka, the love for the chaat by the Bengalis is indeed a great topic to discuss. The list of our favorite Chaat is not complete without mentioning Ghugni; the thick curried Yellow Peas or Motor, along with a topping of green chilis, cilantro, and chopped onion along with the tanginess of lemon juice! We all probably have our favorite vendor who makes the best Ghughni!

Ghughni Variations!

However, Ghughni is actually a versatile dish with several variations to consider for. On one hand, it is the epitome of street food when prepared with the punch of onion and topped with veggies while on the other hand, Ghugni is really an amazing dish served as part of traditional Bengali vegetarian cuisine when no onion or garlic is added while cooking and served with little "Bhaja Moshla"  to enhance the aroma.

Mangshor Ghughni aka Manghsher Ghughni

As I already mentioned this post has nothing to do with the other versions I have mentioned but the meat-e-fied version of Ghughni, Mangsher Ghughni.  

A famous Bengali dish prepared with Yellow Peas and minced meat, Mangsher Ghughni is obviously something to cherish for. I, though, have it several times with big meat chunks. However, my favorite is obviously the one with Mutton Keema for sure!

Indeed a family favorite and I prefer to follow the recipe by my mother while making my version of Mangsher Ghughni. In my North Calcutta residence, Ghughni is something that everybody cherished and whenever there was the addition of the meat in it, the Ghughni used to turn into beyond good! We never used to have Niramish Ghughni after Bijaya Dashami which is kind of a Bong heritage. Instead, our Dashami used to celebrate with the addition of mutton Keema in the Ghughni; to make it tastier; richer, and more special.

Mom-in-law's version!

When for the first time I had Ghughni at my in-law’s place I realized my mother-in-law followed almost a similar recipe as my mother. In fact, in both places, they stick to using limited spices to make the Ghughni and the best part of this homemade Ghughni is the amazing smell coming out of it. Basically, I have nothing special to write about it apart from the fact that this typical traditional bong-style dish is special with its own goods and naturally requires no extra description.

My Mom's version!

I grew up witnessing my mother and aunts preparing Mangsher Ghughni for the entire family by adding a comparatively lesser amount of Keema to make it pocket-friendly. It was, in fact, practical. Considering it was a family of 18 people and required lots of calculation and managerial knowledge. I have never ever seen them compromising the taste of a dish or compromising the health quotient. Somehow, they used to manage the limited resources to feed the family properly.

Festive delicacy, Mutton Ghughni!

So naturally whenever there was a demand for a mutton meal but resources were limited we used to have it in form of Keema and Mangsher Ghughni or Mutton Keema Ghughni is one such item. However, The Bijaya Dashami special Mangsher Ghughni was always special with some extra amount of Mutton Keema and that amazing cooking where the yellow peas were perfectly cooked but not mashed, a proper amount of spices and the light crunch of mutton Keema was always a heavenly affair.

Tips

I have seen my mum-in-law, making Ghughni with the same ease; probably all bong mothers can make perfect Ghughni with perfect use of spices, with having the Yellow peas boiled till the perfect point; where there are few whole peas are there and few mashed to get the perfect texture and then there is that homely aroma.

Ghughni is a family favorite, so I make it quite often at my place and do opt for the addition of extra Mutton Keema. In fact, I prefer a 1:1 ratio of Yellow Peas and Minced Mutton to make the Mangsher Ghughni and I just follow the way it's cooked in my family with limited spices and slow cooking to get the perfect texture and aroma!

This is how you make Mangsher Ghughni!

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I would love to see a picture if you are making the prawns following my recipe. You can share here at dolonchttrj@gmail.com. You can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and share it through Instagram as well. and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.

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