Entree: Pakistan – Mughlai Pakistani – آلو گوشت ➤ Aloo Gosht (Slow‑simmered meat and potatoes in an aromatic spiced gravy)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 1 hr 25 min

Total 1 hr 50 min

Ingredients

- 1.5 lb (680 g) lamb shoulder or goat, bone‑in, cut into 1–1.5 inch pieces
- 1 lb (450 g) potatoes, peeled and halved or large pieces
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil or ghee
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced, about 8 oz (225 g)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) ginger‑garlic paste
- 1 cup (240 g) chopped tomatoes or 1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup (120 g) plain yogurt, beaten
- 2 cups (480 ml) water or beef/lamb stock
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) turmeric powder
- 1 tsp (2 g) Kashmiri red chili powder or regular red chili powder, adjust to taste
- 1–2 bay leaves
- 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 3 cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick (about 1 inch / 2.5 cm)
- 1 tsp (2 g) garam masala, added at the end
- Salt to taste, about 1 tsp (5 g)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 1–2 green chilies, slit, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon; fry briefly until fragrant about 30 seconds.
2. Add the sliced onions and sauté until golden brown and caramelized, about 10–12 minutes. Stir in the ginger‑garlic paste and cook 1–2 minutes until raw aroma fades.
3. Add the lamb pieces and increase heat to medium-high. Brown the meat on all sides for 5–7 minutes to develop color.
4. Stir in ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and red chili powder; cook 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until oil begins to separate from the masala, about 5–7 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, whisk the beaten yogurt so it’s smooth, then add a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce to temper the yogurt. Stir the tempered yogurt into the pot. Pour in the water or stock, season with salt, cover, and simmer gently until the meat is nearly tender, about 45–60 minutes (or 25–35 minutes in a pressure cooker).
6. Add the potato pieces to the pot and continue simmering uncovered until potatoes and meat are fully tender and gravy has thickened to desired consistency, about 15–20 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
7. Stir in garam masala, remove from heat, and garnish with chopped cilantro and slit green chilies. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice or flatbread.