Kosha mangsho

Kosha or kasha mangsho is a slowly cooked meat, mostly mutton pieces, along with oil and spices to obtain semi-dried cooked meat (Figure 3.1.1). Meat from mutton (goat meat) and chicken is generally used. The use of oil and gravy over low heat (slow cooking) is the characteristic feature of the preparation.  It is a delicacy in several parts of India, particularly in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions. Chicken kosha is the name of a product made from chicken meat. The product has some similarities with rogan josh, a traditional lamb or mutton meat product from Kashmir in India. On some occasions, the product may contain a small quantity of a thick curry composed of spices including onion and garlic paste.

Raw materials
Goat meat is the main raw material of kosha mangsho; lamb and chicken meats are also used. The other ingredients are cooking oil like mustard and groundnut oil, salt, onion and garlic powder/paste, and spices like chilli, black pepper and turmeric powder.  

Method of preparation
After cleaning meat pieces (not of very big size) with warm water, meat samples may be marinated with a smooth paste prepared from onion, garlic, salt, dahi, and turmeric and other spice powders (Figure 3.1.2). However, the marination process (1 to 4 hours at ambient temperature or 2-8 hours in a refrigerator) is not mandatory though being reported to improve the quality of the finished product. Meat pieces are then heated with cooking oil while other spices are added at the end stage of preparation. These are spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, coriander and cumin powder, ginger and garlic paste, a small amount of sugar, chilli pieces, etc. Loss of moisture from the sample occurs, and softening of meat pieces happens.

The product consists of light to dark-brown coloured meat pieces; the availability of gravy, if present, is kept at a minimum level. Kosha mangsho is consumed mainly during lunch or dinner that is served along with several traditional foods like porota, roti, cooked rice and polao. ‍A drawback of kosha mangsho is its low shelf-life of only half a day. Refrigerated or frozen storage can extend the shelf-life but sensory acceptance may be affected.