Gajar Gosht

Gajar Gosht is a classic North Indian dish in which lamb is slowly braised with carrot and spices. The carrot gives the dish softness and roundness, without making it distinctly sweet.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 20 minutes
Cooking: approx. 90 minutes
Total time: approx. 110 minutes

Ingredients

• 800 g lamb (shoulder or neck), cut into large pieces
• 500 g winter carrots, cut into pieces of approx. 3–4 cm
• 4 tablespoons neutral oil
• 3 onions, very finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½–1 teaspoon chilli powder (to taste)
• 200 ml water, plus extra if needed during braising
• Salt
• Fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Optional but classic: ½ teaspoon garam masala at the end

Preparation

• Cut the lamb into large, even pieces.
• Peel the winter carrots and cut them into pieces of approx. 3–4 cm.
• Finely chop the onions.
• Finely chop the garlic and ginger.

Method

1. Heat the oil
   Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat.
2. Fry the onions until golden
   Add the onions and fry them slowly, stirring regularly, until they are golden and soft. Allow about 15–20 minutes.
3. Fry the garlic and ginger
   Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute more.
4. Fry the spices briefly
   Sprinkle in the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and chilli powder. Fry the spices briefly until fragrant and well combined with the onion.
5. Brown the lamb all over
   Add the lamb, sprinkle with a first pinch of salt, and brown the meat all over until it loses its raw colour and begins to colour lightly.
6. Braise the meat covered
   Pour the 200 ml water into the pan, stir well to loosen, bring to the boil and reduce the heat to low. Put a lid on the pan and gently braise the meat for 45–60 minutes. Stir occasionally. If it threatens to become too dry, add a small splash of extra water each time; there should be just enough moisture to prevent sticking, but no thick layer.
7. Check the meat for doneness
   Check after 45–60 minutes: the meat should clearly be more tender, but does not yet need to be falling apart.
8. Braise the carrot with it
   Add the carrot pieces, gently stir them through the meat and put the lid back on the pan. Gently braise for about 25–30 minutes more, until the meat and carrot are cooked. The carrot should be soft but still clearly in pieces.
9. Reduce the sauce
   Remove the lid from the pan and, if the sauce is still very thin, let it reduce for a few minutes over a low to medium heat without the lid. Stir gently now and then.
10. Season and finish
    Taste and season with salt. Add the garam masala, if using, and let it simmer gently for 2–3 minutes more.
11. Finish with coriander and serve
    Sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh coriander just before serving. Serve Gajar Gosht warm with chapati or roti, or with plain, neutral rice. The sauce should be lightly thickened, with distinct pieces of lamb and carrot: concentrated and rounded in flavour, without becoming heavy or distinctly sweet.