Handi Gosht / Lamb Stew

“Handi Ghost” (हांड़ी गोश्त) is Lamb stew or mutton stew, cooked in Handi. Handi is a deep and narrow-mouthed cooking utensil used in Indian subcontinent, normally this is an earthen pot, but can be made of metal. In an ideal set up “gosht” should be cooked in the earthen pot, that offers an absolutely unique flavour, however I have cooked it a metal “handi”, the unique shape of “handi” offers the perfect mechanism on how the heat gets distributed on to the contents while cooking. You may try this in any normal pan, but if you have handi or can get it, try in that. This is awesome non-vegetarian recipe that I have learnt from the authentic traditional cooks living in village, where cooking in “handi” is norm of life. This way you now know “how to make handi gosht” 🙂

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Marination time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 

Serving: 5

Ingredients:

1. Mutton / Lamb pieces on bones – 1 kg
2. Clarified Butter / Desi ghee – 6 tablespoon
3. Onion – 4 (medium sized, chopped)
4. Green chillies – 2(chopped)
5. Ginger – garlic paste – 2 tablespoon
6. Yogurt – 1 cup
7. Tomatoes – 5 (medium sized, chopped)
8. Bay leaves – 3-4
   
9. Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
10. Cinnamon stick – 2
11. Dry Ginger powder – 1/2 teaspoon 
12. Mace (javitri) – 1/3 teaspoon 
13. Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon 
14. Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon 
15. Turmeric powder – 1/3 teaspoon 
16. Red Chilli powder – 1/2 teaspoon
17. Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
18. Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon 
19. Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon 

Recipe: 

1. Let’s start by washing lamb pieces thoroughly and strain excess water. In a mixing bowl, add lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and Turmeric powder. Mix mutton pieces in this mixture well and keep aside for 30 minutes.
   

2. Now heat 4 tablespoon clarified butter/desi ghee in a handi/pan and add Cumin seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon stick and sauté. Now add chopped onion, green chillies and sauté till light brown.
   

3. Add ginger – garlic paste and saute again. Now add all the other spices and roast for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté  till the mixture starting leaving ghee.

4. Now add meat / gosht and roast it for 10-15 minutes so that it’s all brown.  

5. Now its time to add yogurt and and keep stirring till it start to get boil.

   

6. Add 2 cup of  water and cover the handi with lid. Let it cook on low flame for 35-40 minutes, giving it a stir occasionally.

   

7. Now if the mutton is cooked well and tender, add rest of 2 tablespoon ghee and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Switch off the flame when you get desired consistency of gravy.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with naan or steamed rice.

   

   If you have liked this, why not try Achari Gosht or Chettinad Lamb Curry or Lamb Chops Curry ?

Key Notes:

1. You can skip the part of marination, and can cook directly. In that case let it cook for few more minutes as lamb / mutton will take little more time being cooked perfect.
2. Always stir the gravy to its first boil after adding yogurt, as it helps yogurt to mix well and stop from curdling.
3. Time to cook lamb properly varies as it depends on how fresh and tender raw lamb is. So always check about the tenderness of mutton while being cooked, before switching off heat.