Lamb with Spinach (Dilli Ka Saag Gosht)
Submitted by debodun
Dilli ka saag gosht is a North Indian lamb and spinach curry with whole spices, yogurt, and garam masala. Slow-simmered cubed lamb in a thick, vibrant green spinach sauce.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
90 minREADY
120 minThis Delhi-style lamb curry, saag gosht, builds flavor in layers the way the best Indian home cooking does. Whole peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, and cardamom hit the hot oil first, blooming their fragrance before the onions, garlic, and ginger go in.
The yogurt gets added a tablespoon at a time, fried into the meat until each spoonful is absorbed before the next goes in. This slow incorporation prevents the yogurt from curdling and creates a complex, slightly tangy coating on the lamb that deepens as it simmers.
Two full pounds of fresh spinach wilt down into a thick, vivid green sauce that clings to every piece of tender meat. The final step of cooking uncovered evaporates the excess liquid, concentrating the spinach into a rich, almost paste-like consistency finished with a hit of garam masala.
Kitchen Tips
- Add yogurt one tablespoon at a time and fry each addition until absorbed. Dumping it all in at once will curdle it
- Cook covered on low for the full hour. The lamb needs gentle heat to become fork-tender
- Remove whole spices (cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves) before serving
- Serve with basmati rice or warm naan to soak up the sauce
Variations
- Use boneless goat meat instead of lamb for a more traditional Delhi version
- Add a tablespoon of cream at the end for a richer, restaurant-style finish
- Stir in a handful of fresh dill (the “dilli” in the name) for an aromatic lift
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium-high flame.
When hot, put in the peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, and cardamom pods.
Stir for a second, then add the onions, garlic and ginger.
Stir and fry until the onions develop brown specks.
Add the meat, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, and ½ of the salt.
Stir and fry for a minute.
Add 1 tablespoon of the yogurt.
Stir and fry for a minute.
Keep doing this until all yogurt has been incorporated.
The meat should also have a slightly browned look.
Add the spinach and the remaining salt.
Stir to mix. Keep stirring and cooking until the spinach wilts completely.
Cover tightly and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour or until meat is tender.
Remove the lid and add the garam masala. Turn the heat to medium.
Stir and cook another 5 minutes until most of the water in the spinach disappears and you have a thick, green sauce.
Remove the whole spices and serve.
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