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saag gosht with lamb ©️ Nel Brouwer-van den Bergh

Saag gosht

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Indian, South and South East Asian
Servings 4 persons

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb (700 g) lambs meat (shoulder or leg)
  • 2 lb (900 g) spinach
  • 3.5 oz (100g) ghee
  • 4 dried Asian chillies
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 medium stick cinnamon
  • 5 green cardomom pods
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds whole
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds ground
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds whole
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds ground
  • 2 large brown or red onions
  • 3 large tomatoes
  • 1 tsp ginger grated or diced
  • 3 tsp garlic minced
  • 0.5 tsp turmerac
  • 0.5 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp sliced fennel or cellery leaves
  • two cups (500 ml) meat broth
  • 0.5 cup cream or yoghurt
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

Instructions
 

Instructions for the main preparations

  • Mince 3 cloves of garlic and keep a third aside
  • Cut the meat in 1/2 inch by 1.5 inch x 1.5 inch pieces (roughly)
  • Season with some salt and pepper
  • Heat up one tbsp of ghee in a heavy bottomed pan
  • On high fire, brown the meat on all sides
  • Add a cup of water and one clove minced garlic to the meat and braise for 1.5-2 hr at low
  • Meanwhile peel and cut the onions and ginger
  • Wash the spinach and transfer to a separate cooking pot without draining
  • Cook the spinach for 8 minutes
  • While the spinach is cooking, briefly toast the coriander and the cumin seeds in a skillet and let cool a bit. Grind the spices in a mortar and pestle and reserve

Instructions to cook the dish

  • Place the tomatoes in a bowl and use the hot spinach drainwater to cover the tomatoes
  • After 2 minutes rinse the tomatoes under cold water and peel and cut them. Let the spinach further drip dry
  • In another heavy bottomed pan, melt 1 tbsp of ghee and add the red chillies, cinnamon stick, cardamom seeds from the pods and cloves until fragrant
  • Then add the cumin and coriander seeds and when they start to pop add the onions
  • Panfry the onions on medium, until they are golden brown, 15-20 minutes Use a lid for the last 10 minutes. Do not led the onions caramelize
  • Subsequently add the ginger, remaining minced garlic and turmeric and heat for 2 minutes on medium high
  • Then add the diced tomatoes and fry on medium for about 5 minutes or when the tomatoes have become soft
  • Add one quarter of the spinach and cook for 1 minute
  • Transfer the contents to a bowl. Reserve the cinnamon stick
  • After the meat has braised for 1.5-2 h and is tender, add the juices to the bowl as well.
  • Use the immersion blender to make a thick slurry. If too thick, add some meat broth
  • Transfer the slurry back to the pan and cover with the ground cumin and cardamom; heat for 1 minute
  • Transfer the meat pieces into the slurry and heat for 15 more minutes
  • Cut the drained spinach with a knife fine
  • Bring the mixture to taste with salt
  • Just before serving mix in the spinach and heat through
  • Optionally add some yoghurt or cream before serving
  • Serve with some fresh coriander leaves

Notes

Method: braising
Food allergy & intolerance information: milk-cream/yoghurt
Keyword curry, lamb, saag ghost, Spinach