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Aab gosht
آب گوشت (aab gosht): Kashmiri mutton cooked in milk with cardamom and fennel, mild and creamy
Pale, gentle and fragrant with green cardamom, aab gosht is the Kashmiri kitchen's answer to anyone who thinks the cuisine is all chilli. Mutton on the bone is first boiled with whole spices, then finished in reduced milk with fennel and dry ginger until the sauce turns ivory and thick, almost like a savoury kheer. It is a wazwan dish and a family favourite for Sunday lunch among Kashmiri households in Muzaffarabad and Lahore, eaten over plain rice with a sharp green chutney on the side for contrast. Boiling the milk hard is what ruins it, since it catches on the base and leaves a scorched taste through the whole pot. Chef's tip: reduce the milk in a separate wide pan while the meat cooks, then combine them; it thickens faster and is far less likely to burn.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the mutton
- 1 ⅔ lb mutton or goat on the bonecut into medium pieces
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 1 set whole spices4 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the milk sauce
- 4 ¼ cups whole milk
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 3 shallotspuréed
- 2 tsp ground fennel
- 1 tsp ground green cardamom
- 1 /2 tsp ground black pepper
To serve
- 4 tbsp mint and coriander chutney (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅔ lb mutton or goat on the bone, 3 ¼ cups water, 1 set whole spices and 1 ½ tsp salt in a heavy pan and bring to the boil, skimming off the foam.
5 minStep 2: Cover and simmer on a low heat for 55–60 minutes until the meat is tender.
55 minStep 3: Meanwhile bring 4 ¼ cups whole milk to the boil in a wide pan, then simmer over a medium-low heat for 30–35 minutes, stirring and scraping the base often, until it has reduced by half.
35 minStep 4: Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a small pan over a medium heat and fry 3 shallots for 2–3 minutes until soft but not coloured. Stir in 2 tsp ground fennel, 1 tsp ground dry ginger (sonth) and 1 tsp ground green cardamom.
3 minStep 5: Pour the reduced milk and the shallot mixture over the mutton with about 200 ml of its cooking liquid. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick and creamy.
10 minStep 6: Season with 1 /2 tsp ground black pepper and more salt if needed.
1 minStep 7: Serve over plain rice with 4 tbsp mint and coriander chutney.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 500 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aab gosht take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 85 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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