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Indian

Champaran meat

Non-vegetarian

Mutton marinated with mustard oil, whole garlic bulbs and spices, then slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot until it steams in its own juices. A celebrated dish from Champaran in Bihar.

Champaran meat is an Indian curry, ready in about 2 hours 30 minutes and made with goat meat, mustard oil and garlic. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
2 h
Rest
10 min
Total
2 h 30 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
454

Plus at least 1 hour marinating.

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the meat with the mustard oil (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) bulbs, onions (opens in a new tab), ginger, yoghurt (opens in a new tab) (if using), all the spices and the salt. Massage well, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.

    • 10 min

    Food safety: Marinate raw meat in the fridge and wash hands and boards afterwards.

    Meat coated in a spiced marinade in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Ip Photographer on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Tip everything into a clay handi or heavy pot. Cover with the lid and seal the edge with the flour dough (or a tight-fitting lid plus a layer of foil).

  3. Step 3

    Cook on a low heat without opening, shaking the pot gently every 20 minutes so nothing sticks. Traditionally this is done over embers.

    • 110 min
    • low heat

    Hold the lid and shake rather than stirring — opening the pot lets the steam escape.

  4. Step 4

    Rest 10 minutes, then break the seal. The meat should be falling-tender with soft, sweet garlic (opens in a new tab). If the gravy is thin, reduce briefly uncovered.

    • 10 min

    Food safety: Open the sealed pot away from your face — hot steam escapes.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Champaran, Bihar, Bihar, India · Well documentedMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Marinated / cured, Slow-cooked, Braised
Taste
garlicky, spicy (chilli heat), rich, smoky
Diet
No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Without the optional extras: Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, No gluten ingredients, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · One-pot
Cook more with
Goat meat · Mustard oil · Garlic · Onion · Fresh ginger · Cayenne / chilli powder
Techniques
Charcoal grilling · Braising · Marinating · Reduction · Curing

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom yogurt
  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Mustardfrom mustard oil

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

454 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 334 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 39%
  • Carbohydrate 17%
  • Fat 45%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy454 kcal136 kcal
Protein44.2 g13.3 g
Carbohydrate18.9 g5.7 g
Net carbohydrate14.9 g4.5 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4 g1.2 g
Fat22.6 g6.8 g
Saturated fat3.5 g1.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol——
Sodium1194 mg358 mg
Salt equivalent3 g0.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1099 mg
Calcium
110 mg
Iron
7.5 mg
Magnesium
—
Vitamin A (RAE)
36 µg
Vitamin C
14 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
2.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
30 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: yogurt, all-purpose flour.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of their skins over rice — they are a highlight.

Common mistakes

  • Opening the sealed pot to check — the steam escapes and the meat dries and catches.

Serve with

  • Serve with plain rice or rotis and sliced onion.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat covered on a low heat until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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