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Dal gosht
دال گوشت (dal gosht): mutton cooked with split chickpeas into a thick, homely stew
Stretching a kilo of mutton to feed a big family is an old Pakistani household skill, and dal gosht is its most loved result: chana dal cooked with the meat until the lentils melt into a thick, golden, peppery gravy that is half curry, half stew. It turns up for Friday lunch in Punjab and for everyday dinners in Karachi Urdu-speaking homes, eaten with hot chapati, rice and a sharp salad of onion and tomato. Done right, some dal stays whole while the rest thickens the gravy. A common slip is adding raw dal to the pot at the same time as the meat; dal cooks faster, so it collapses into paste before the mutton is tender. Chef's tip: finish with a tarka of ghee, cumin and fried garlic for a Sunday version, or leave it plain with oil for an everyday pot that stays dairy free.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the stew
- 1 ⅔ lb mutton or goat on the bonecut into medium pieces
- 7 oz chana dal (split chickpeas)rinsed and soaked 1 hour
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionsfinely sliced
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 3 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 5 cups hot water
- 1 tsp garam masala
For the tarka
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
To serve
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
- 1 lemon (optional)cut into wedges
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat 6 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat and fry 2 onions for 8–10 minutes until golden.
10 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅔ lb mutton or goat on the bone and 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste and fry over a medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes until the meat is lightly browned.
8 minStep 3: Add 2 tomatoes, 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander, 3 /4 tsp ground turmeric and 1 ½ tsp salt and fry for 6–8 minutes until the oil separates.
8 minStep 4: Pour in 3 cups hot water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the mutton is half tender.
30 minStep 5: Drain 7 oz chana dal (split chickpeas) and add it with 2 cups hot water. Simmer, covered, for 35–40 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not catch, until the dal is soft and partly broken down and the meat is tender.
35 minStep 6: Stir in 1 tsp garam masala and cook uncovered for a few minutes until the stew is thick but still spoonable.
3 minStep 7: For the tarka, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan, add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 dried red chillies and 3 cloves garlic and fry for about 1 minute until the garlic is golden. Pour it sizzling over the stew.
2 minStep 8: Scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with 1 lemon, chapati and rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dal gosht take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 85 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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