Kosha Mangsho(Bengali Curry with Onion Cardamom Chili sauce)
Kosha mangsho - a Bengali curry with a rich, flavorful sauce - is a popular Eastern Indian Onion Cardamom Chili Sauce. I paired with tofu as meat substitute. It is super delicious with rice, naan, or luchi(fried bread)!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Tofu “Mutton”
- 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes, then torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional
- 1 teaspoon mustard oil optional
For the Sauce
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 4 green cardamom pods partially opened
- 1 black cardamom pod partially opened
- 3 whole cloves
- 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 dried red chilies use Indian, Thai, or any other hot chili. If you want it mild, use Kashmiri chilies or California red
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste or 4 cloves garlic minced and 1/2 inch ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt or non dairy cream
- 1 hot green chili such as Serrano thinly sliced
- cilantro and lemon juice for garnish
Instructions
Make the tofu “mutton.”
- Press the tofu, if you haven't already, and then tear it into bite-sized pieces. You can also cube the tofu if you like. Add the tofu to a bowl along with the yogurt, toss well to coat. Then, mix all of the dry spices and the cornstarch in a small bowl, and sprinkle all over the tofu, drizzle the mustard oil if you're using it, and then toss well to coat the tofu.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the teaspoon of oil, and once the oil is hot, spread the tofu onto the skillet. Let the tofu sit undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, so that it can brown on the bottom, and then dislodge the bottom and flip to brown the other side. Drizzle on another teaspoon of oil, if needed, to help the tofu brown. Once the tofu is golden brown on most of the edges. Remove the tofu from the skillet.
Make the sauce.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and add the 2 teaspoons oil to the same skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, dried chilies, and bay leaves, and mix really well. Cook those for 15 to 30 seconds, until the bay leaves change color. Then, mix in the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Let the onion sit undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir a little bit and let it sit for another 1 or 2 minutes again. Increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook until the onion starts to char and caramelize in places. Add a splash of water here and there to help the onion brown evenly. Make sure to stir frequently, since we are cooking at a pretty high heat, and you don’t want the onion to burn. If your pan is not heating up enough, then you can increase the heat to high. Once half of the onion is starting to char, reduce the heat a little bit to medium-high or medium, and continue to cook. You can also cover the pan with a lid at this point to help the onions cook evenly without drying out. 7-9 minutes
- Once most of the onions are golden brown, add the ginger garlic paste, 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, and all of the ground spices to a small bowl and mix really well. Add this mixture to the pan with another splash of water, and mix the mixture into the onion. Cook for about half a minute, then mix in the tomato puree. After about another half a minute, stir in the nondairy yogurt and 3/4 cup to 1 cup of water, then cover with the lid, and reduce the heat to medium, if it was higher. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes to cook all of the spices and allow the flavors to meld. The sauce will thicken a little bit and pick up flavor from the onion. Stir once in between, add 1/2 to 1 cup of water or stock, depending on how thick or how saucy you want your finished dish to be.
- Add the crisped up tofu, the chilis, and the remaining salt to the pan, toss lightly, and cover with the lid again. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the tofu simmer in the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, taste and adjust the salt and flavor. You can also add more water or stock if the sauce is thickening too much. Then, either simmer for a few more minutes for a thicker sauce that clings to the tofu or switch off the heat if you want it saucier. Serve garnished with the cilantro and lemon juice and with some naan, flatbread, rice, Pulao, or luchi, which is a fried Bengali flatbread.
Video
Notes
Mustard oil is often used in Bengali cuisine and adds a nice, authentic flavor, but if you don't have it, just omit it.
Whole spice subs: if using ground versions of the spices, use 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and add with ground coriander. Use 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes instead of chilies.
Storage: You can store leftover kosha mangsho in a closed container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for a couple of months in a freezer safe container. Just reheat in the microwave, or in the skillet, or in the oven, and serve.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free. For nut-free, just be sure that your non-dairy yogurt is nut-free.
To make it soy-free use a soy-free vegan chicken substitute, chickpea flour tofu, chickpeas, beans, or vegetables.
To make it soy-free use a soy-free vegan chicken substitute, chickpea flour tofu, chickpeas, beans, or vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 511mg | Potassium: 336mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 3mg