ALOO GOSHT (PAKISTANI BEEF & POTATO STEW)
A delicious staple dish in every Pakistani South Asian house. Tender chunks of Sirloin roast that have been simmered in aromatics, whole and powdered spices with potatoes. It’s a flavor-packed main course perfect for any day, any occasion. Enjoy served with roti, fluffy naan or basmati rice, believe me you want to give this recipe a try!
WHAT IS ALOO GOSHT
This is a meat dish that is very popular in Pakistani, North Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine. Main components are meat that can be beef, mutton or goat. The meat is simmered in onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, whole spices, powder spices and oil. The choice of meat, the cut, bone in or boneless is your preference. Once the meat is tender then potatoes are added. Best way to describe it is that it’s similar to making a stew. The ultimate flavor of this dish comes from the long simmer time. You have to give it enough time for the meat to get tender. The long cook time will give you the deep flavor from the bones if you use bone in meat. I would say this dish is perfect with roti or naan but it’s amazing served over rice also.
It’s perfect for daily comfort meals but it’s also the perfect choice for any special menu.
ALOO GOSHT INGREDIENTS
There are many different versions to this traditional recipe. Every family and their kitchen will have a personalized touch to it. These variations may be in the choice of ingredients or cooking methods. Once you try a simple recipe you can adjust to your liking and make it your own. My family prefers to make this with beef. I also like to keep more gravy because my kids always enjoy the extra gravy over rice. We also prefer the gravy to be of a thicker consistency. This recipe is easy with ingredients that are staple in South Asian cooking.
This is one of the methods on how I prepare this dish. You can also start off by heating the oil, add the whole spices, browning the onions, adding garlic/ginger then sear the meat, add tomatoes and powder spices. Let it all the sear then add water, let it cook until meat is tender and finally add the potatoes. The way I’m showing today is a very hands-off method and is great for beginner cooks. In this recipe you will basically add all the ingredients and let it cook, adding the potatoes towards the end of cooking time.
MEAT: You can use 1-1 1/2 lb. of meat. I used sirloin roast that I cut into medium size chunks, just like you would cut for beef kebabs. Now depending on the cut of meat you use; time will vary how long it takes the meat to get tender. Bone in meat will also have amazing flavor. Always make sure you are not cooking cold meat. Take the meat out of the fridge, keeping it covered on the counter to take the chill off. If you have any extra broth bones, I recommend you use it.
TOMATOES/ONIONS/GREEN CHILI: In this dish you want the gravy to have a very smooth texture. I puree the tomatoes, onion and the green chili. You can also boil the tomatoes then take the skin off and puree. I used 2 medium size tomatoes because I don’t like the gravy to have a watery consistency.
POTATOES: I have used yellow potatoes that are cut into wedges. These potatoes cook much faster than red and rustic potatoes.
WHOLE & POWDERED SPICES: I have used a combination of whole warm spices and powder spices in this recipe. Whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and peppercorns pair very well with meat. If you enjoy curries that are heavily spiced, you can add more of the same spices. Adjust the salt and chili. This recipe is mildly spiced.
EXTRA NOTES
When you boil the meat, you will notice some foam also called scum that will float to the top skim that off. Some even disregard that water after the 1st boil then add fresh water and proceed with next steps. This is your preference.
Once the meat starts to get tender and you think there is too much gravy you can continue cooking to reduce the gravy to your liking.
As you are cooking make sure the pot is covered with a lid. If it’s not covered, you will have to continue to add water. You want to try to make sure the gravy is made with the water that was added in the beginning, this will ensure your gravy has a concentrated flavor.
ALOO GOSHT (PAKISTANI BEEF & POTATO STEW)
Ingredients
- 1-1 1/2 lb. sirloin roast (cut into medium size chunks)
- 1 small onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 medium tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 1 green chili
- 4 garlic cloves (finely minced or grated)
- 1 inch piece of ginger (finely minced or grated)
Whole Spices
- 4 cloves
- 4 peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 brown cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Powder Spices
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (optional great for color but not spicy)
- 1/2 cup neutral cooking oil
- 3 small potatoes (peeled and cut into 4 wedges each. Set aside in water)
Garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- fresh cilantro (small bunch washed and chopped)
- Water
Instructions
- Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking. Using a small food processor blend together the tomatoes, onions and green chili. Finely grate the garlic/ginger. Cut the meat into medium size chunks. Peel potatoes, cut into wedges and set aside in water.
- Use a medium size heavy pot. Place meat and about 5 cups of water. Bring to a slow boil. Any foam/scum that rises to top skim off.
- Now lower the heat to a slow simmer, add the tomato, onion, green chili puree, garlic, ginger, whole spices, powder spices and oil. Cover and let it cook for about 1 hour. This time will vary depending on your cut of meat. Check the meat and it should be tender. You should be able to cut thru the meat with a fork.
- Add the drained potatoes, continue cooking covered for another 15-20 minutes. You don't want to overcook the potatoes. You also should not have to add additional water. That's why cooking with lid on is important. So you are not having to add additional water. At this point you can reduce the gravy or add little more water for more gravy.
- After the potatoes are tender, turn heat even lower and at this point the oil in the curry should rise to the top. This may not be as visible if you added less oil.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of garam masala and cilantro. Serve with roti, naan or rice.
2 Comments
This looks delicious! Thank you for the detailed recipe :). I’ve always struggled with cooking beef and this was very helpful. Wondering if a pressure cooker/instant pot may be used to reduce cooking time, and if so, what are the cook times?
Thank you so much! Def the time will be reduced. I prefer that long simmering time that builds the flavor. I haven’t made in the pressure cooker before. But I’m assuming at least 20-25 minutes of pressure for meat to be tender. Will also depend on the cut of meat.