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    Home » Pakistani Beef Recipes » EASY Pakistani Aloo Gosht or Meat and Potato Curry

    EASY Pakistani Aloo Gosht or Meat and Potato Curry

    Dec 9, 2015 · Modified: Sep 4, 2020 · by Sarah Mir

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I think Aloo Gosht is the quintessential Pakistani dish, the kind that doesn’t find it’s way onto many restaurant menus, but is a staple in every home. Be it with Goat meat or Beef, bone in or boneless, every family has their version of aloo gosht and it seems to me that they are all delicious.

    My Nanna (maternal grandmother) is the undisputed champion of making aloo gosht. Her salan is light and almost broth like and the flavor is so utterly beautiful that us boneless meat eaters would forgive her those hunks of bones with smallish pieces of meat. I would love to tell you that this is her recipe, but alas it is not. None of her four daughters make this particular salan/curry like she does and I can only hope to crack the code one day. For now I offer you an extremely tasty second: my mothers. Or rather, my version of my mothers, the cooking method is my sister in laws.

    Aalu Gosht or Beef and Potato Curry

    I do apologise for the lacklustre photos, this Pakistani version of meat and potatoes isn’t quite ready for it’s close up, but with the cold months upon us it seemed a little selfish not to share the recipe for one of the most comforting dishes of all time. 

    Missing something?

    Aloo gosht aficionados will note that I don't use whole garam masala i.e. cloves, peppers etc. I find that while the whole spices add a depth to the salan that I don't really miss them when I go without. If you find you miss it then simply add an inch of cinnamon, 2-3 cloves, 4-6 whole black peppers and a ½ tsp of cumin seeds in with the meat mixture. For those of you with chilli-phobic kids like my older one this dish is easy to edit. Just put less red chilli powder in the beginning, then pull out some meat and curries before adding in the green chillies at the end.

    Aalu Gosht or Beef and Potato Curry

    AaluGosht_Pakistani
    Print Recipe
    4.42 from 29 votes

    Aloo Gosht

    The quintessential Pakistani meat and potato curry 
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Pakistani
    Keyword: Aaloo Gosht
    Servings: 4
    Author: Sarah Mir

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb boneless beef chunks or upto 2lbs bone in meat (use your discretion here)
    • 2 roughly diced medium onions
    • 1 heaped spoon crushed garlic
    • 1 heaped spoon crushed ginger
    • 1 - 2 tsp red chilli powder
    • ⅓ tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 ½ tsp salt can adjust later
    • 2 to matoes finely diced
    • 2 potatos halved lengthwise and cut horizontally into wedges
    • ½ tsp garam masala powder or black pepper
    • handful of cilantro
    • green chillies diced to taste
    • a squeeze of lemon juice

    Instructions

    • Put the beef chunks, onion, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder, and salt into a pot with two cups of very hot water. Mix. 
    • Cover the pot with a lid and bring the mixture to a boil, once it is boiling then bring it to a simmer and let it cook (covered) for 45 minutes to an hour or however long it takes for your beef to get tender. Instant Pot: Manual 20 minutes then quick release
    • Once the beef is tender, then crank up the heat to evaporate the water and once the spice paste/masala starts to stick add a generous lug of oil and saute the masala until the oil rises above it’s surface. 
    • Then in go the tomatoes, cook until the oil rises above the surface of the masala. 
    • Now add in your cup of water, the potato wedges and once again bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
    • Now add more water if needed and the garam masala, cook for two minutes and adjust seasoning. 
    • Switch off the stove and add some bright fresh cilantro and green chillies - you can leave these whole, slice them lengthwise or finely chop them. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and dig in with some chapati (flatbread) or naan.

    Notes

    Classically you would saute the onions, ginger, garlic first in a little oil. Then you'd add the spices, cook for a minute and add the meat cubes to brown them a little before tenderizing the meat. This produces better flavour but it requires more time.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. oceanviewkitchen says

      December 10, 2015 at 10:56 am

      I saw it on Instagram and had to check it out:) looks delish! Will try it!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        December 13, 2015 at 9:16 am

        Thanks so much! Really hope you do!

        Reply
    2. Vajeea says

      December 10, 2015 at 12:35 pm

      I had aalu gosht for dinner tonight! This recipe is very different from the way I cook. Your salan looks really gorgeous! I will try this recipe next time!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        December 13, 2015 at 9:16 am

        Thanks Vajeea! This is very different than how my mom used to cook it but I took my sister in laws technique and my mothers masala and it works well. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    3. Nayyar says

      December 13, 2015 at 10:00 pm

      Hey .. this is awesome .. I follow the same process but also add some coriander powder ... what do you reckon? .. is dhaniya powder not needed here? Thanks, Nay (I guess you would know me from Insta)

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        December 14, 2015 at 3:35 pm

        Hi!!! Glad to see you here! I use dhania powder sometimes, it has a smokiness to it. But most of the time I skip it since that is how my mother makes it. My in laws use dhania powder though and it is yum

        Reply
        • Amna Khwaja says

          April 09, 2020 at 12:00 pm

          Tried this and absolutely loved it. I followed your recipe notes and browned the onion and ginger garlic and then the meat and spices first, which I think created even better flavour. It was amazing. And my standards for Aaloo gosht are quite high:)

          Reply
          • [email protected] says

            April 09, 2020 at 9:49 pm

            I am SO happy to hear that Amna! Yes it's absolutely it's best when you get color on your meat and your onions sauteed first. Thank you for telling me!!!!

            Reply
    4. Anonymous says

      January 03, 2016 at 6:59 am

      Hello...is the "heaped spoon" for the crushed garlic/ginger a teaspoon or tablespoon? Love these traditional recipes and please keep them coming!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        January 04, 2016 at 3:37 pm

        If you're a baker then it's a tablespoon 😉 If not then it's the smaller spoon in your kitchen drawer. Please do let me know how it goes! I have a few other desi recipes coming up - will try and post them soon!

        Reply
    5. Ruhi says

      January 16, 2018 at 2:44 pm

      Hello. If I want to make this with chicken. How would I adjust?

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        January 16, 2018 at 4:54 pm

        Hi! for chicken I would do a few things differently
        1.) Cook the diced onion and some whole spices (4-5 black peppers, 2-3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick) in a little oil until the onion pieces edges start to turn golden brown
        2.) Once that happens add the garlic ginger, saute, add the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and a half tsp of coriander powder. Saute for another 2 minutes.
        3.) Add the tomatoes (finely chopped) and cook until the masala is 'bhunn' ie the oil rises to the top and it is a cohesive paste
        4.) Add the chicken pieces and cook to seal i.e. so they are white on the outside
        5.) Put in about a cup of hot water if using boneless, half if using in bone in, bring it to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
        6.) Add the potatoes, simmer until done. The chicken should be tender
        7.) Finish as described in the beef recipe
        Hope this works well for you - do keep me posted!

        Reply
    6. Tina says

      September 27, 2018 at 11:57 am

      Hi, if I used a pressure cooker how long do I cook the beef for?

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        October 01, 2018 at 9:20 pm

        Hi Tina!! So so sorry for not seeing this earlier. Honestly it varies from pressure cooker to pressure cooker. I am in Toronto and I find the meat is a bit tough so I used to go for 18-20 minutes, but I know in some countries that'll make it a paste!

        Reply
    7. Rebia Karim says

      October 12, 2018 at 11:24 am

      HI, would I be able to cook this in the Instapot ?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        October 12, 2018 at 3:02 pm

        Yes! Just put it for pressure in the IP, it takes me 18 minutes on manual (quick release) to get tender botis, then another 3 (i think) for the potatoes!

        Reply
    8. fariha says

      February 21, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      Hi Sarah! Quick question- do you find that the beef retains any of its gosht "smell" if you don't bhoon with the onions and masala before adding the water?

      Thanks! can't wait to try the recipe- my husband is a big aloo gosht fan but i'm always too intimidated by cooking gosht

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        February 21, 2019 at 1:17 pm

        Hi Fariha!!! I hear you - making gosht can seem so intimidating. In terms of your question I find beef (vs mutton) doesn't have much of a smell, but I also know everyones taste buds are a little different. If it is your first time making it then go ahead and saute the onions till translucent, add adrak, lehsan,spices, saute a minute then add the meat chunks and brown them a little. Then add water and cook till tender. The reason I suggest the extra step for your first time if you are concerned about the smell is that it is so immensely gratifying to get it spot on the first time and not question yourself! Do keep me posted on how it turns out!

        Reply
    9. Zulekha Ahmed says

      September 12, 2020 at 8:16 am

      Omg thankyou so much for this recipe!! This was one dish I've been wanting to make right since I've been married (4years now). Your recipe is hassle free, easy and tastes amazing!!! Can't wait to try more of your recipes!!!! ❤️

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        September 14, 2020 at 8:35 am

        Zulekha!!! thank you so so much for your kind words! I keep toying with "updating" it with the more intensive version, but your comment reminds me that for most of us this approach works!

        Reply
    10. Sunaya says

      November 03, 2020 at 11:56 pm

      Hi. The recipe is quite similar to how we do it. Can you just clarify when you add turmeric? I assume it is in the beginning.

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        November 04, 2020 at 8:02 am

        That's absolutely correct! Thank you!

        Reply
    11. Muddasira says

      June 03, 2021 at 10:16 pm

      Absolutely loved it! Everyone enjoyed it alhumdulillah. I'm used to the traditional way of cooking this dish but when I came across this easy version, I was so excited to not have to fry the onion!! Definitely going to make this often. Thank you 💜

      Reply
    12. Alia says

      January 25, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      My first time making aloo gosht today. Alhumdulilah really easy recipe. I used the tip in the recipe notes and sauted the onions first. Taste was superb mA. Made it with your yakhni pulao recipe!

      Reply
      • Sarah Mir says

        January 26, 2022 at 2:26 pm

        I am SO happy to hear it worked! Aloo gosht is such a quintessential comfort food for me and I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! Welcome to Flour & Spice, the foodie world of a Pakistani origin Canadian mama of two whose busy life and love for food means practicality reigns supreme! I love baking (duh!), my readers (extra duh!), reading, coffee, singing loudly slightly off key, and aprons.

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