Bengali Porota with Mutton Rezala

Shape the Porotas

• After resting, knead the dough for another minute. Divide it into 8 equal portions and roll them into smooth balls.
• Take one dough ball and dust it with a little maida. Roll it out into a thin circle, about 5-6 inches in diameter.
• Brush about 1/2 tsp of melted ghee evenly over the surface of the circle. Lightly sprinkle some dry maida over the ghee.
• Fold the circle in half to create a semicircle. Brush the top surface of the semicircle with ghee and sprinkle with maida again.
• Fold the semicircle in half once more to form a triangle. Press the edges gently.
• Lightly dust the triangle with maida and carefully roll it out into a larger triangle, about 5-6 inches on its longest side and 1/4 inch thick. Be gentle to preserve the layers.

Fry the Porotas

• Heat a tawa or a non-stick skillet over medium heat. The tawa should be hot but not smoking.
• Place a rolled porota onto the hot tawa. Cook for about 30-45 seconds, until you see small bubbles forming on the surface.
• Flip the porota. Drizzle about 1 tsp of ghee on top and around the edges.
• Fry for 1-2 minutes, gently pressing with a spatula, until golden-brown spots appear. You will see the layers begin to separate.
• Flip again, add another 1/2 tsp of ghee if needed, and cook the other side until it's golden brown and crisp.
• Remove the cooked porota from the tawa and repeat the process for the remaining dough balls.

Serve

• Once a porota is off the heat, place it on a flat surface. Gently clap or crush it between your palms to fluff up and separate the layers.
• Serve immediately while hot and flaky with classic Bengali dishes like Aloo'r Dom, Kosha Mangsho, or Cholar Dal.

Cook the Rezala

• Stir in the black pepper powder, sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well to combine.
• Pour in 1.5 cups of warm water and bring the gravy to a gentle simmer.
• For pressure cooking: Secure the lid and cook on medium heat for 5-6 whistles. Then, reduce the heat to low and cook for another 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
• For pan cooking: Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to its lowest setting, and simmer for 60-75 minutes, or until the mutton is fall-off-the-bone tender. Stir every 15-20 minutes to prevent the gravy from catching at the bottom.

Finishing Touches

• Once the mutton is cooked, gently stir in the garam masala powder, kewra water, and rose water.
• Let the curry simmer on low heat for 2 more minutes to allow the final aromas to meld into the gravy.
• Turn off the heat and let the Mutton Rezala rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to deepen.
• Serve hot with naan, rumali roti, or a simple pulao.