Goat meat cooked in wood fire with thin gravy

 
Introduction:  Picnic er Mangsho or the Mutton Curry for Picnic has its unique flavour and taste that is almost irreproducible in a modern day kitchen. While the winter sets in, Christmas and The New Year set the mood for an outing, few more Holidays around 26th January takes out the last home loving Bangali Babu for a “Charuibahti” or a Picnic. Be it on a riverside spot of on top of a hill, it’s always memorable and eventful.
The Recipe I am sharing here is from Ratan Thakur (Cook) who was the most sought after cook at our small town for any picnic or social event. Native of a neighbouring district of Orissa, Ratan Thakur had some Magical elements in his cooking that mesmerized thousands of people for many years. Interesting part of this recipe is the Marinating. The Goat Meat or the “Pantha’r Mangsho” used to be bought previous evening and get marinated in a large “Degchi” overnight, getting it’s unique shake while travelling on roof top of a Bus. In the morning on reaching to the picnic spot, on a newly constructed open oven with bricks and clay, Ratan Thakur used to make his Magical Dish over a wood fire that is almost impossible to replicate.
I have scaled down the ingredients measure for the home use of a serving of four.
Ingredients:
500gms Meat of young (kid) goat, usually from the Raan or legs, bone in, cut into medium pieces
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and halved
1 Tablespoon Turmeric
3 Medium Red Onions, 2 of the cut into large pieces, keep the other one for the paste
½ a pod of Garlic, about 8-10 flakes
1 inch piece of Ginger Root
2 Red Chilies soaked in little water
2 Green Chilies 
2 Bay leaf
1 Green Cardamom,
1 Large Cardamom,
1 inch stick Cinnamon
4-6 Cups of boiling water
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon white Cooking Oil(Ideally Mustard Oil)
1 Cup of Mustard Oil for marinade
Instructions:
Make a Paste:
Take One Onion, Garlic and Ginger and all the Chillies and make it a paste in a blender
Make a powder:
Seeds of both the Cardamom and Cinnamon sticks, grind it to powder in a Mortar and pestle

Marinating:
Lightly wash the Meat pieces and remove water and keep in mixing bowl
Sprinkle little salt and half of Turmeric Powder and keep aside for 15 minutes
Add the Paste and keep for 30 minutes
Now add the remaining cut Onions and mix well
Pour in the Mustard Oil over the marinated Meat and store it over night (or at least 6 hours)
Cooking:
In a Degchi (a heavy bottom sauce pan will do as well) heat 1 tablespoon oil
When it starts smoking, add the potatoes and shallow fry for 5 minutes
Take out the potatoes and keep aside
In the same oil add bay leaf
Add the Meat pieces and stir well
Cook for 5 minutes over high heat
Now add remaining marinade if any to the pan
Now add some salt and mix well
Add enough boiling water to cover all the meat pieces
Cover and cook on medium flame for 20 minutes
Add the sauted Potatoes and cook over very slow flame for 30 minutes
Check the consistency of the Jhol or Gravy, add boiling water if necessary
Check the seasoning and adjust salt
Sprinkle the powdered spice mix and mix well
Picnic Mutton Curry is ready to be served with Plain White Rice or Khichuri
Note: The original Picnic Mutton Curry used to be cooked in slow wood fire in large open vessels; the wood fire adds a smoky smell into the dish that is missing in this recipe adapted for home kitchen.