Bhuna isn’t one dish, it’s a way of cooking. Bhuna means fried or roasted, and a bhuna curry is made by frying the spices and meat until the sauce has cooked right down and clings to every piece. That is why a bhuna tastes deeper and drier than most curries, and why it became a British curry house favourite.
Bhuna at a glance
- Bhuna means fried or roasted in Urdu, Hindi and Bengali
- Onion, garlic and ginger are fried first, then the meat and spices are fried in the same pan
- Very little water is added, and the sauce is cooked down until thick
- The style comes from Bengal and is a staple of British curry houses
- Bhuna gosht is a bhuna made with lamb or mutton
What does bhuna mean?
Bhuna describes the technique of frying spices and meat in oil over a good heat, stirring all the time, so they brown and the flavours concentrate. Any liquid that goes in is cooked off again. The result is a thick masala that coats the meat rather than a curry swimming in sauce.
How the bhuna method works
- Fry the onions. Cook them slowly until deep golden. This is where the sweetness comes from.
- Add garlic, ginger and spices. Fry them in the oil until they smell toasted.
- Fry the meat in the masala. Keep stirring so everything browns without catching. Putting the lid on for short spells helps the meat cook through.
- Keep the liquid low. Add a splash of water only when needed.
- Cook it down. Finish on a higher heat until the sauce is thick and the oil starts to show.
Bhuna, karahi or curry?
| Bhuna | Karahi | Everyday curry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauce | Thick and dry, clinging to the meat | Usually tomato-based, cooked down fast | More sauce |
| Method | Meat fried slowly in the masala | Meat fried hard on high heat in a karahi pan | Meat simmered in the sauce |
| Flavour | Deep and toasty | Fresh, with tomato and green chilli | Varies |
If you like the karahi style, see all our karahi recipes.
Aamna’s bhuna recipes
Authentic Chicken Bhuna Masala
Chicken fried with spices, the bhuna way, into a thick and deeply flavoured masala.
Lamb Bhuna
Bone-in lamb cooked down with warm spices until the gravy is thick and clings to the meat.
Special Eid Mutton Bhuna (Ghost Fry)
Ghost fry: mutton cooked with a few simple spices that bring out the flavour of the meat. Made for Eid.
Chicken bhuna
A whole chicken fried with golden onions, tomatoes, a pinch of aniseed and plenty of garam masala, then finished with kasuri methi. Fifteen minutes of frying with the lid on and off builds the thick sauce. The chicken bhuna recipe takes about 30 minutes.
Lamb bhuna
Bone-in lamb with Aamna’s own coarsely ground spice mix of cardamom, peppercorns, cumin and coriander seeds, blitzed onions fried in oil and ghee for 15 minutes, yoghurt, and a splash of kewra water at the end. Her lamb bhuna serves 12 and freezes well.
Eid mutton bhuna
Also called ghost fry. Mutton is fried with golden onions and whole spices, splashed with malt vinegar, simmered for about an hour and cooked down until dry. The Eid mutton bhuna keeps the spices simple so the meat comes through.
Tips for a good bhuna
- Don’t rush the onions. Pale onions give a thin, sharp sauce.
- Stir often. Bhuna is cooked on a good heat and catches easily.
- Lower the heat for yoghurt. Stir it in gently so it doesn’t split.
- Reduce at the end. If it’s still saucy, cook it uncovered for a few minutes.
Bhuna FAQs
Is bhuna spicy?
Usually medium. Aamna’s bhunas get their heat from red chilli powder and green chillies, and Kashmiri chilli adds colour more than heat.
What is bhuna gosht?
Gosht means meat, so bhuna gosht is a bhuna made with lamb or mutton.
What is kala bhuna?
A Bengali style where the meat is fried with spices for so long that it turns very dark. Kala means black.
What is the difference between bhuna and curry?
A bhuna is cooked down with very little liquid, so the masala coats the meat. Most curries are left with more sauce.
