Badami Gosht Recipe 

Badami Gosht or badami Mangsho was never in my mother’s cooking list. She always preferred a kind of mutton rezala, or some variation of that.

I have talked before about not being able to eat beef in our house due to religious beliefs. Hindus believe cows to be sacred and revered. And out of this respect no practicing Hindu ever consumes beef.

But living in a muslim country, beef is the second most popular choice of meat, right after chicken. And sitting in third position, way behind the popularity and availability of beef and chicken, is mutton.

So in our household chicken and mutton are the only meats cooked. And that is why my mother experimented with mutton through a lot of dishes, and by changing up the ingredients of mutton curry.

That being said, my mother never made Badami gosht or Badami Meat. It is because of her disliking the taste of nuts and almonds in a rich, spicy curry. And I inherited the same taste bud.

Now before progressing, let’s understand the dish. Badami Gosht or badami Mangsho is a special dish where the meat is prepared with any kind of nut. “Badami” means nutty, and gosht or mangsho means meat. So the badami curry taste will have a nutty flavor with the meat.

Now the badami mangsho ingredients can vary. You can use beef or mutton as the meat, and use almonds or cashew nuts as nuts. Which ingredients you choose will impact the Badami gosht recipe. Our badami mangsho recipe uses mutton, and cashew nuts.

Despite my personal bias against the nutty flavor, I can appreciate what makes it special for those who love it. The badami mangsho ingredients create a unique flavor profile that’s distinct from other meat curries or rezalas. The combination of cashews and raisins (or almonds) adds a subtle sweetness and richness that balances the savory elements of the meat.

Now, this dish is referred to as badami gosht korma. But to me, it doesn’t quite match the korma we’re accustomed to in Bangladesh.Korma to me is primarily made with chicken, and the spice flavor and curry is quite different from badami gosht.

But from what I understand, the badami gosht recipe likely originated in Pakistan. And maybe the type of Badami gosht they cook is similar to Korma. Or the other way around. And from what I know. nut-based gravies are more common in festive cooking in Pakistan.

Bangladeshi meat curries tend to lean toward stronger spice profiles, more flavor. And as my mother does, Bengali incorporate more complex layering of flavors without the mellowing effect of ground nuts.

That said, Moni Dadi’s diary included several bold culinary choices, and I have learned to trust her process. Her badami gosht recipe included a careful balance of nuts that enriched the gravy without dominating it. So I say it is worth giving it a try.