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Saag Gosht (Punjabi Beef and Spinach Curry)

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This delicious curry from the northwest region of India can be made with beef or lamb.  The rich, complex flavor profile of this Saag Gosht recipe portrays the very best of Indian cuisine.  You’re going to love it!

Saag Gosht Punjabi Beef and Spinach Curry

Punjab, a combination of two Persian words, means “land of the five rivers.”  In 1947, with the dissolution of British India, the region was divided between Pakistan and India.  Punjabi cuisine is known for its diversity, including both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Some popular examples of food derived from Punjab are tandoori dishes, pakoras, naan bread, and vegetable dishes with paneer (a soft Indian cheese). Other Punjabi favorites include Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka.  Today’s dish, Saag Gosht, which can be made with either beef or lamb, is another Punjabi favorite.

Saag Gosht 5 sm cropped edited

Saag Gosht Recipe

Let’s get started!

Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper.

Saag Gosht prep 1

Heat the oil and ghee (or butter) in a Dutch oven (I use and love Lodge) or pot and brown the beef on all sides.  Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.

Saag Gosht prep 2

Cook the onions until caramelized, about 25 minutes.

Saag Gosht prep 3

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 3 minutes.

Saag Gosht prep 4

Add all the spices, except for the bay leaf and cardamom pods, and cook for another minute.

Saag Gosht prep 5

Add the tomato paste and tomatoes and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any browned bits.  Cook for 5 minutes.

Saag Gosht prep 6

Stir in the yogurt.

Saag Gosht prep 7

Return the beef and add the bay leaf and cardamom pods.

Saag Gosht prep 8

Pour in the beef stock and add the salt.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Saag Gosht prep 9

Add the spinach and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Saag Gosht prep 10

Add salt to taste.

Saag Gosht prep 11

Serve with steamed Basmati rice and/or Naan and some Cucumber Raita.

For dessert nothing beats a refreshing Mango Lassi or some Fruit Chaat!

Enjoy!

Saag Gosht Punjabi Beef and Spinach Curry

Saag Gosht Punjabi Beef and Spinach Curry

More more delicious Indian food be sure to try our:

Saag Gosht (Punjabi Beef Spinach Curry)

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 7 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck or lamb , cut into 1/2 inch cubes, patted dry and sprinkled with salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon ghee , or butter (paleo: use grass fed or substitute more oil)
  • 1 large yellow onion , thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoons fresh ginger , minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala , click link for our homemade blend
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 roma tomatoes , chopped
  • 2 tablespoons plain whole fat yogurt
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 5 green cardamom pods
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach , thawed and thoroughly drained

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Fry the beef until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  • Saute the onions for 25 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 3 minutes. Add the spices, except for the bay leaf and cardamom pods, and saute for another minutes. Add the tomato paste and the tomatoes and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any of the browned bits. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt.
    Add the beef cubes, beef broth, bay leaf, cardamom pods and salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    Add salt to taste. Serve with steamed Basmati rice and/or naan.
Keyword Beef Spinach Curry, Saag Gosht
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




5 from 3 votes

51 Comments

  1. This is a really good recipe. I substituted a 15oz can of diced tomatoes and fresh spinach. Turned out great. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Made this for my family here in Spain as our nearest Indian restaurant is 90 minutes away. The only thing i changed was to use fresh spinach and one green chilli to add a bit of heat. They loved it! I loved it especially with my homemade naan bread. Thank you. It will become a regular on my curry list.

  3. This was absolutely delicious, I cut the yogurt and substituted fresh spinach and coriander instead of frozen and ground and it was one of the tastiest curries I have made.

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.