Champaran mutton, also called ahuna or handi meat, comes from the Champaran region of north-west Bihar, near the Nepal border. It was cooked by farmers and at roadside dhabas in clay pots sealed with dough and set over wood or charcoal, and in the last decade it has become a craze, with 'Champaran meat house' signboards appearing far from Bihar.
Everything goes into the pot raw: mutton, whole garlic bulbs, sliced onions, mustard oil and a generous amount of whole and ground spices. The handi is sealed and gently shaken now and then instead of stirred. The meat cooks in its own juices, absorbing the smoky, earthy flavour of the clay, and the whole garlic turns soft and sweet.
At a glance
| Region | Bihar |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Bihari |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 90 minutes |
| Total time | 120 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | mutton / garlic / onion / mustard oil |
Ingredients
For the mutton
- 1 kg mutton, curry cut with bone and some fat
- 4 whole garlic bulbs, top sliced off, outer papery skin removed
- 4 medium onions, thickly sliced
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 cup mustard oil
- 1/4 cup curd (optional)
- Salt to taste
Whole spices
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 green cardamoms
- 2 black cardamoms
- 6 cloves
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 dry red chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
Ground spices
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 1/2 tsp meat masala or garam masala
For sealing
- 1 cup atta kneaded into a stiff dough
Method
- Put the mutton, onions, ginger-garlic paste, all the whole and ground spices, salt, curd and half the mustard oil in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands and marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Heat the remaining mustard oil in a small pan until it smokes, then let it cool slightly. This removes its raw pungency.
- Put the marinated mutton in a clay handi (or a heavy-bottomed pot), push the garlic bulbs into the meat and pour the cooked oil over the top.
- Cover with the lid and seal the edges all round with the atta dough so no steam escapes.
- Place the handi on a low charcoal fire or on the lowest gas flame over a tawa. Cook for 75-90 minutes.
- Every 15 minutes, lift the handi with a cloth and shake it in a circular motion to move the meat around. Do not open it.
- Break the seal after 75 minutes and check: the mutton should come off the bone easily and the oil should float on a thick, dark masala. If not, reseal and cook another 15 minutes.
- Serve straight from the handi, with a whole garlic bulb on each plate to squeeze over the meat.
Tips
- Season a new clay handi by soaking it in water overnight and rubbing it with mustard oil before use.
- In a pressure cooker, cook on medium for 1 whistle then on lowest heat for 30 minutes; it lacks the smokiness but is close.
- Choose meat with fat and bone – the dish depends on the meat's own juices.
Serve with
Plain rice or thick rotis, with sliced onion and green chillies.