Palak Gosht Recipe | Authentic Spinach And Beef Curry
This authentic Palak Gosht recipe is a classic dish made with beef meat and Spinach (Palak). The tender and juicy beef chunks and umami spinach flavor will always feel savory and tasteful.
I always ask my mother to cook Palak Gosht whenever I come to my parent’s house. She goes out to the fields, picks fresh Spinach, and works magic to cook this delicious dish just for me. And let me tell you, I love to eat it with corn bread along with a glass of Lassi– it’s the ultimate desi-style lunch!
Palak Gosht is not so tangy like ‘Bhuna gosht” or “Gosht karahi“; it has a nuanced taste that feels more savory. But the appealing texture of this Pakistani and Indian cuisine makes it a fascinating recipe.
This is super easy to make, with no need for hard skill, no hard-to-find spices, and it takes little time. I will share my method to craft this culinary dish in a more classical way that will make you drool.
Why Palak Gosht Recipe Will Win Your Heart?
- Substantial meal: I’ve tested so many spinach recipes, but the Palak Gosht holds a significant importance in my heart. It’s a dish that feels on your stomach, and it’s so hearty and substantial meal. You’ll feel like you’ve eaten something delicious.
- Distinct Flavor: Because of the combination of Spinach and beef, this recipe has a distinct flavor. The earthy taste of spinach and the umami taste of gosht give a more balanced flavor.
- More Appealing Texture: I love the green and bold texture of veggies, and when my eyes start popping out I see spinach hues on the juicy beef chunks. The tangy, oily layer of curry makes it even more mouth-watering.
- Easy To Make: Regarding difficulty level, the Palak Gosht seems to be one of the easiest dishes. It requires some basic whole spices and garam masala for a robust taste.
Ingredients:
- Meat: I’m using beef meat for this overpowering recipe. Mutton or lamb meat is also suitable but it takes longer to boil than beef meat. Further, I prefer you to use small chunks or pieces of meat to make them juicier.
- Spinach: The freshness of Spinach matters a lot in bringing an earthy taste. For the Palak Gosht recipe, I personally used minced Spinach because it blends smoothly with the beef chunks and makes the texture more appealing. Contrary, the large green leaves of spinach look wired over the plate.
- Garlic & Ginger Paste: Nothing is more aromatic than garlic and ginger paste; it makes the recipe more savory, pleasant, and robust. I use mortar & pestle to make the paste. You can also process them through a food processor.
- Tomatoes: I’ve opted for small wedges of tomatoes, but you can also use the paste. Tomatoes improve the recipe’s color and work as a sweeter in the curry.
- Onions: Onions are the prime ingredient we use in most curries to make them savory and flavorsome. I used the chopped onions, but you can also use the paste of onions if you don’t want fluffy curry.
- Yogurt: Skip this ingredient if you’re a gluten-free person. But yogurt is like a game changer in the Palak Gosht recipe; it makes gravy hearty and appetizing and improves its color.
- Whole Spices: Some traditional spices will be used in the Palak gosht recipe, including turmeric powder, Paprika powder, red chili powder, and dry coriander. I bet these ground spices will be available in your kitchen.
- Garam Masala: Like most classical southern cuisine the Palak Gosht also demands some garam masala ingredients. I’m using cumin, nigella seeds (Kalonji), cloves, bay leaves, fenugreek, and black pepper. If you don’t have all these traditional ingredients, simply use 1 tbsp of Garam Masala powder.
Let’s Make Palak Gosht Recipe
- Boil The Meat: Boiling meat seems tedious; you know it takes too much longer. But what can I do now? This is a necessity. Nonetheless, add 1.5 liters of water to a pressure cooker, then add the meat with 1 tsp of turmeric powder, salt, and one bay leaf. Pressure cook the meat for 45 minutes.
- Boil The Spinach: Thank God! Spinach is a breeze, it hardly takes five minutes to boil. Add two glasses of water in a pan and boil the Spinach for five minutes. After boiling, I transfer Spinach to the food processor to get the minced version of it.
- Sauté The Onions: It’s time to prepare our gravy. Take a pan, heat the oil, and add onions. At this initial stage, I’m also adding all the Garam Masala ingredients (except kalonji). This masala infuses a pleasant aroma in the pan that elevates the entire taste of curry.
- Add Garlic Ginger Paste: Blend the garlic and ginger paste once the onion turns golden. Ahh! An enchanting aroma wafts in the kitchen, and it’s so delicious. Now stir this paste on a medium heat, and fry it for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Blend Tomatoes & Whole Spices: Next, add the tomatoes; don’t hesitate to add a splash of water. The moisture will help the tomatoes to decompose quickly. You don’t need to add water if you’re using a tomato paste. After stirring, blend all the ground spices, and add 1/3 cup of water to prevent spice from sticking at the bottom. Let it simmer for 1 minute on a medium flame.
- Add Yogurt & Spinach: Our gravy is almost ready at this stage. I will add four tablespoons of yogurt to make it more creamy. Stir it to mix the yogurt, and add Spinach in it. Let the Spinach simmer for 2 minutes on a medium flame. You don’t need to cover the lid. Stir occasionally to perfectly blend all the spices in the Spinach.
- Add Beef: Next, add the boiled beef, and thoroughly stir the stew for 2 minutes. After that, add 1 cup of water and simmer it again for 6 more minutes.
- Garnishing: For garnishing, I’m sprinkling fenugreek that smells so pleasant, some green chilies, ginger slices, and nigella seeds (Kalonji). And here we go! The delicious Palak Gosht recipe is now ready to serve.
Nabeel’s Pro Tip
There is always more room for improving this recipe. And I’ve tested numerous things to make it more tangy and flavorsome. Here are some of my tips that you should follow to get better results.
- This time, I used quite a bit of yogurt in the recipe, which instantly improved the curry’s taste, making it more creamy, savory, and umami.
- Always use the minced Spinach in the Palak Gosht curry. The minced version blends perfectly with beef and improves the overall appeal of the final dish.
- Drizzle some oil on the final plate of Palak gosht to give it a more tangy and appealing look. You can also use pickle oil if it’s available in your kitchen.
- Consistency matters a lot in Palak Gosht. Ensure that the gravy is thick and creamy but not too thick or fluffy with lumps. You can adjust the amount of water in the second last step (after adding beef).
FAQs
What To Serve With Spinach & Beef Curry?
Traditionally, there is not a huge list of items to serve with this dish. Palak gosht is a full-fledged meal that don’t require other side dishes. However, you can eat it with chapati, naan, or roti. I have seen that people also prefer white rice with Palak Gosht, which tastes much better.
I used cornbread (makki ki roti) and a glass of Lassi with Palak gosht; it’s more like a desi meal that always feels so relaxing at lunch time.
Other Famous Pakistani Recipes
Palak Gosht Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Meat
- Spinach
- 3 Tomatoes
- 2 Onions
- 1 tsp Garlic paste
- 1 tsp Ginger paste
- 4 tsp Yogurt
- 1 tsp Paprika powder
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Dry Coriander powder
- 1 Bay leave
- ½ tsp Cumin seeds
- Three cloves
- ⅓ tsp Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
- Garnishing
- Some ginger slices
Garnishing
- 3 Green chilies
- ⅓ tsp Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
- ½ tsp Fenugreek powder
Instructions
- First, boil the meat in a pressure cooker. Add 1.5 liters of water, meat, 1 tsp turmeric, salt, and a bay leaf to the pressure cooker. Now, pressure cook it for 45 minutes on a medium flame.
- Next, boil Spinach in a pan with two glasses of water for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a food processor for mincing.
- Now, let’s prepare the gravy. For this, heat oil in a pan and add onions. Add all Garam Masala except kalonji. Fry it until the onions turn golden brown.
- Once onions are golden, blend in garlic and ginger paste. Keep flame medium, stir paste, fry for 2-3 mins.
- Add tomatoes and a splash of water to help tomatoes quickly decompose. Skip water if using tomato paste. Stir, add ground spices, and 1/3 cup water to prevent sticking. Simmer for 1 min on medium flame.
- Gravy is almost done. Add 4 tbsp yogurt for creaminess. Stir in Spinach and simmer for 2 mins on medium flame uncovered. Stir occasionally for a perfect spice blend.
- Add boiled beef and stir stew thoroughly for 2 mins. Then, add 1 cup water and simmer for another 6 mins.
- Now it’s garnishing time. For garnish, sprinkle fragrant fenugreek, green chilies, ginger slices, and nigella seeds (Kalonji). Voila! Your delicious Palak Gosht recipe is ready to serve.