Aloo Gosht (Pakistani Lamb and Potato Curry)
- Serves: 5 People
- Prepare Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 90 minutes
- Calories: 480
- Difficulty: Easy
Aloo gosht is the everyday meat and potato curry cooked in almost every Pakistani home. Bone-in lamb or mutton is slowly cooked in an onion and tomato masala until tender, then potatoes are added and the curry is finished with a thin, flavourful shorba (gravy) that soaks into rice or chapati. It is simple, comforting food, and the dish many Pakistanis living abroad miss most from their mother's kitchen.
The key is a properly browned masala, called bhuna. Fry the onions until golden, then cook the meat with the spices until the oil separates before adding water. That step builds the deep flavour; the rest is gentle simmering. Waxy or all-purpose potatoes hold their shape, while a few smaller pieces break down and thicken the gravy naturally.
In Pakistan, mutton usually means goat meat. In the UK, US and the Gulf, bone-in lamb shoulder or leg works perfectly, and halal goat is easy to find at halal butchers. Beef works too with a little more cooking time. Serve with plain basmati rice, chapati and a fresh salad.
Ingredients tap to tick off
Directions tap a step when done
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot, add the bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon, then add the onions and fry for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
- Add the lamb and the ginger-garlic paste and fry on high heat for 5 minutes until the meat changes colour.
- Add the tomatoes, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the yogurt.
- Bhuna the masala: keep stirring on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, adding a splash of water if it sticks, until the oil separates and the masala is dark and glossy.
- Add 2 cups (480 ml) of hot water, cover and simmer on low heat for 45 to 60 minutes until the meat is almost tender. (Pressure cooker: 20 minutes at high pressure.)
- Add the potatoes and the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) of hot water, cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes and meat are soft.
- Stir in the garam masala and green chillies and simmer for 2 minutes. The gravy should be thin and flowing, so add more hot water if needed.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with basmati rice or chapati.
Cooked it? Rate this recipe
Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use beef instead of lamb?
Yes. Use bone-in beef chuck or shin and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours before adding the potatoes.
Which potatoes are best for aloo gosht?
All-purpose or waxy potatoes such as Maris Piper, Yukon Gold or red potatoes hold their shape. Very floury potatoes break down quickly.
How thick should the gravy be?
Aloo gosht has a thin, soupy shorba, not a thick curry sauce. It is meant to be spooned over rice or soaked up with chapati.
Can I make aloo gosht ahead?
Yes. It tastes even better the next day and keeps in the fridge for 3 days. The potatoes do not freeze well, so freeze only the meat curry and add fresh potatoes when reheating.
Aloo Gosht (Pakistani Lamb and Potato Curry)
- Serves: 5 People
- Prepare Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 90 minutes
- Calories: 480
- Difficulty: Easy
Aloo gosht is the everyday meat and potato curry cooked in almost every Pakistani home. Bone-in lamb or mutton is slowly cooked in an onion and tomato masala until tender, then potatoes are added and the curry is finished with a thin, flavourful shorba (gravy) that soaks into rice or chapati. It is simple, comforting food, and the dish many Pakistanis living abroad miss most from their mother's kitchen.
The key is a properly browned masala, called bhuna. Fry the onions until golden, then cook the meat with the spices until the oil separates before adding water. That step builds the deep flavour; the rest is gentle simmering. Waxy or all-purpose potatoes hold their shape, while a few smaller pieces break down and thicken the gravy naturally.
In Pakistan, mutton usually means goat meat. In the UK, US and the Gulf, bone-in lamb shoulder or leg works perfectly, and halal goat is easy to find at halal butchers. Beef works too with a little more cooking time. Serve with plain basmati rice, chapati and a fresh salad.
Ingredients
Directions
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot, add the bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon, then add the onions and fry for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
- Add the lamb and the ginger-garlic paste and fry on high heat for 5 minutes until the meat changes colour.
- Add the tomatoes, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the yogurt.
- Bhuna the masala: keep stirring on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, adding a splash of water if it sticks, until the oil separates and the masala is dark and glossy.
- Add 2 cups (480 ml) of hot water, cover and simmer on low heat for 45 to 60 minutes until the meat is almost tender. (Pressure cooker: 20 minutes at high pressure.)
- Add the potatoes and the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) of hot water, cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes and meat are soft.
- Stir in the garam masala and green chillies and simmer for 2 minutes. The gravy should be thin and flowing, so add more hot water if needed.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with basmati rice or chapati.
You may also like
More like this: Beef & Mutton 4
I learned to cook beside my mother and grandmother. After years in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where friends kept asking me for a proper karahi or biryani, I started PakistanRecipes.com to share authentic Pakistani home cooking, written for kitchens anywhere in the world.
