Mutton Dak Bungalow: A Colonial Era Anglo-Indian Delicacy

By Jheelum Basu

February 22, 2026

Mutton Dak Bungalow is a colonial-era mutton recipe frequently prepared by stewards at the British rest houses (Dak bungalows). Known for its tender, spicy, onion-based curry, this slow-cooked mutton recipe also features boiled eggs and potatoes cooked in mustard oil.

Ingredients

For The Mutton 500 grams of mutton 3-4 boiled eggs 4 small potatoes 1 sliced onion 1 sliced tomato 3 tbsp curd 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp ghee 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder ½  teaspoon turmeric powder ½  teaspoon radhuni (Bengali spice) ½ teaspoon fenugreek leaves 1 bay leaf 5 tbsp mustard oil Salt to taste

Ingredients

For The Spice Powder 1-inch cinnamon stick 4 cardamom seeds 1 piece mace 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon coriander Seeds 2 green chillies 2 dry red chillies 4 black peppercorns

Step 1

Marinate the mutton with curd, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and mustard oil.

Step 2

Make the special spice powder by dry grinding all the ingredients in a spice grinder and store it in an airtight container.

Step 3

Remove the skin of the boiled eggs. Marinate the eggs and potatoes with salt and turmeric powder.

Step 4

Heat oil and ghee in a pan, fry the eggs and potatoes till they are golden brown. Keep them aside.

Step 5

Fry the bay leaf, radhuni, and fenugreek for a few seconds. Add sliced onion, tomato, salt, and ginger garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step 6

Add the marinated meat and the spice powder to the pan and cover it for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and eggs. Cook for 20 minutes

Step 7

Remove the pan from the heat once the meat is well-cooked and serve it hot with rice.