Aloo gosht is a delicious classic Pakistani slow-cooked meat & potato curry featuring melt-in-the-mouth mutton or lamb in a glorious gravy.
This can be cooked in the oven, on the stovetop and even in a slow cooker and I have instructions for all of the options.
Meat and Potato Curry from Pakistan
To say that I am fond of an occasional curry would be an understatement.
My site is littered with Indian, Pakistani and Bengali influenced dishes as well as offeringa from as far afield as Japan, Thailand and Jamaica.
This aloo gosht recipe has strong Pakistani and Punjabi influences and features a huge flavour profile.
Like my recent achar gosht recipe, this dish can be cooked with either lamb or mutton.
This recipe cooks low and slow for 3 hours leading to the most tender meat.
It is a similar process to the one I use for my Beef Bhuna and lamb bhuna recipes as well as my lamb shank curry, it makes your house smell divine!
The sauce is a rich and thick gravy thanks to some toasted gram flour and mashing some of the smaller potatoes before serving.
As for flavour, we have a gentle sweet and sour vibe going on. We add both lime pickle and tamarind and balance that with buttery sweet jaggery.
If you want a lamb curry in a hurry then check out my lamb chop curry, it’s all done in 30 minutes!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the better meat for this recipe mutton or lamb?
Given the choice with no concern for practicality then I would choose mutton.
But mutton can require much more effort to source, as a result, I usually make this with lamb and it is glorious too!
Does using lamb or mutton change the cooking times for this recipe?
In my experience no. Low and slow cooking means that both cook in the same amount of time to a soft and tender texture.
As a result, either your aloo mutton or lamb will be moreish and delicious. If it matters, I would always choose mutton for flavour but it is not as easy to find for many people.
What lime pickle should I use?
My favourite brand at the moment is made by Ahmed’s, but you can use anything.
You could even use homemade lime pickle.
Does the type of potatoes matter?
Yes, to a certain extent. I use either a medium potato or a floury potato, this means that they will break down and help thicken the sauce.
You can use waxy potatoes, the dish will not be ruined but your aloo gosht will not be as rich or thick.
Can I use another flour other than gram flour?
Yes, any other flour will have a similar effect of helping thicken the gravy a little.
Do I have to use jaggery?
Jaggery exists to add a little sweetness to my aloo gosht recipe. You can swap it out for any other sugar.
Jaggery adds a mellow sweetness to the dish which is best mimicked with a light brown sugar. Darker sugars will add more of a molasses flavour which also works well.
Serving Suggestions
My aloo gosht recipe is truly a one-pot meal and is perfectly filling enough to be served on its own.
However, personally speaking not being able to clean a curry bowl with bread is sad.
So I always go greedy and serve this recipe with a naan bread. Although it is just as good with chapatis.
I also add finely julienned chilli pepper and thinly sliced red onion as a ‘garnish’.
Rice is always a nice option with a curry, obviously, this has potatoes in… so double carbs but who cares?
I usually opt for some simply cooked rice but a nice pilau rice is always good too!
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop, with options for oven cooking and slow cooker.
- 20cm or 8″ saucepan with a lid, if you are transferring to an oven make sure it is oven-proof.
- Bag or tub to marinate the meat.
- Grater.
- Pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
- Fine mesh sieve.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Mixing bowls.
- Stirring spoons.
- Vegetable peeler or paring knife.
Aloo Gosht Recipe
A rich mutton and potato curry or aloo gosht is the perfect one-pan dinner for those that love a bit of spice in their lives!
Ingredients
- 350g (12oz) Diced Lamb or Mutton Shoulder
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 25g (Thumb Sized Piece) Ginger
- 60g (1½" Cube) Tamarind Pulp
- 60ml (¼ Cup) Boiling Water
- 250g (1⅔ Cup) Onion
- 2 Red Chilli Peppers
- ½ Tbsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ Tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 8 Cardamom Pods
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1 Star Anise
- 6 Curry Leaves
- 300g (2 Cups) Potatoes
- 1 Tbsp Gram Flour
- 1 Tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 1 Tsp Turmeric
- 1 Tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
- 2 Tbsp Jaggery
- 1 Tbsp Lime Pickle
- 250ml (1 Cup) Water
Instructions
- Pour the boiling water over the tamarind pulp and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Cut the lamb into a 2-3cm (1-1¼") dice.
- Mash the garlic cloves into a paste.
- Peel and grate the ginger.
- Pass the tamarind pulp through a fine mesh sieve and pour it over the lamb, then add the garlic and ginger, mix well cover, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to cook peel the onion, cut it in half and slice it into 2-3mm (⅛") thick slices.
- Slice the chilli pepper into rounds as thinly as you can.
- Place the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar and give them a bash, you just want to break them up a little and not turn them into a powder.
- Heat a wide heavy-based (20cm-8") saucepan pan (make sure that it is oven-proof if you are going to oven bake) over a high heat and add the oil when it is hot throw in the star anise, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and curry leaves, followed by the bruised seeds.
- They should crackle within seconds, add the sliced onion and then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Peel the potatoes and cut a third into a 5-7mm (¼") dice and the rest into a 2-3cm (1-1¼") dice.
- Add the gram flour to the pan and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
- Add the lamb and the marinade followed by the potatoes, tomato puree, salt, turmeric, fenugreek leaves, and chilli pepper.
- Pour in the water and add the chopped lime pickle and the jaggery, then stir until everything is combined.
- Turn the heat down to low, add a lid and cook for 2.5-3 hours or transfer to an over and cook at 140°C or 285°F for 3 hours. Or you can transfer to a slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on low.
- Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes of cooking time. Not applicable if cooking in a slow cooker.
- Crush some of the smaller potatoes with the back of a fork before serving to give the sauce some extra body.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1036Total Fat: 62gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 36gCholesterol: 212mgSodium: 1512mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 9gSugar: 16gProtein: 62g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.