Call it simply delicious or simply scrumptious, this lamb curry is for masses. This aloo gosht aka lamb potato curry is made with lamb, potatoes and some basic spices, giving an amazing flavour. Pair it with rice or naan and you have an absolutely mouthwatering meal ready. The thick stew is deliciously finger licking. Here is my Aloo Gosht recipe.
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What is Aloo Gosht
Aloo = Potato and Gosht = Meat. Gosht is a Persian word meaning tender meat, in traditional Indian household, gosht is acronym to goat / lamb. A curry made from lamb and potatoes is aloo gosht.
I (Kapil) was born in India and grew up in a vegetarian family. Occasionally, I will eat chicken, though I was strictly not allowed to bring chicken in the home. I will normally eat chicken outside in restaurants. I had less appetite for lamb at that time. Well, I usually will find goat meat rather than lamb, and the smell of goat meat was bit put off to me.
It was in early 2000 that I tasted lamb biryani and developed taste for lamb. I then came to UK and got umpteen options to eat lamb. In UK, one won’t find goat meat so often, however lamb is common. I also found that the raw lamb is much cleaner here in UK, thanks to food standards and butchers in UK, as against to what I saw in India.
Ever since I started eating lamb, it is my preferred meat. Having said that I do try to keep an eye on my meat intake as its red meat.
Internet is full of aloo gosht recipes, and this aloo gosht recipe of mine is how I make it, based on my own learnings. Aloo gosht is a household name in Pakistani and North-Indian cuisine, especially in muslim households. I took my learnings from two of my muslim friends who introduced me to aloo gosht for the first time. The gravy of this aloo gosht is a scrumptious blend of spices and the juice of lamb makes this aloo gosht purely ambrosial!
Ingredients for aloo gosht
- Aloo / Potato : It is one of the rare non-vegetarian curry where potato is added. I am not sure who came with the idea of adding potato in lamb curry, however a popular belief is that potato is lot cheaper compared to lamb and hence people started adding potato to keep the cost of curry down.
- Lamb / Mutton / Gosht : Lamb is the core ingredient of this aloo gosht.
- Spices : Indian spices add the real value to the aloo gosht curry. These spices include, garam masala, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, cinnamon stick, bayleaves, etc.
- Onion, ginger and garlic. Fresh onion, ginger and garlic does magic to the taste and fragrance of the curry.
Method of making aloo gosht
- Heat 1tbsp of oil in a pan and then add cut potatoes. Give potatoes shallow fry, then take out and keep aside.
- Now in the same pan, add 1 tbsp of oil, and once oil is hot, add onions, garlic and ginger. Keep the heat low to medium. Fry till the raw smell fades away. Add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder, and fry till tomato is not raw and crunchy. Move all these contents and grind to a paste, and keep it aside.
Frying Onion, Garlic and Ginger 
Frying tomatoes for aloo gosht 
Grinding onion, garlic to paste
- In the same pan, now add 1 tbsp of oil. Once oil has heated add bayleaves, black cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Add cumin seeds and when the seeds crackle, add cumin powder. Now add red chilli powder as well as coriander powder. Keep stirring the pan constantly.
Frying spices for aloo gosht 
Adding cumin seeds and powder 
Adding red chilli and coriander powder
- Now add the pureed onion, garlic, tomato in the pan and cook for 2 mins. Add 1.5 cup of water. Once the water gets a bit of boil, add cut lamb pieces in the pan. Add more water if required and cover the pan.
Making aloo gosht curry 
Adding lamb pieces to the gravy 
Aloo Gosht Curry Recipe
- After 30-35 mins lamb would get almost cooked. Check by taking a lamb piece out to see if its almost cooked. Now add the potatoes. Add more water if required to get desired consistency of the gravy. Let this cook on medium heat for another 8-10 mins. Finally add garam masala and mix it. Let this cook for 2 mins.
Lamb Potato Curry Recipe Steps 
Adding garam masala
- Serve this hot lamb curry with rice or roti/ chapati.
Pro Tips for best aloo gosht
- Before adding potatoes, keep them in warm water, this will take away the starch and avoid the curry getting sloppy.
- I have used lamb with bone. This aloo gosht tastes best when meat has bone. I have used spring lamb for better taste and spring lamb cooks relatively quicker too. Use the best quality meat. Meat should be pink. If using meat from the refrigerator, make sure that the meat is fully defrosted.
- Use a heavy pan for cooking to avoid burning of the curry. You can use pressure cooker too. If using pressure cooker, apply the pressure once mutton / lamb is added and let it cook for 4 whistles.
- You can use some ready made spice blends too, such as lamb curry masala.
- You may also add kasuri methi (I did not in this recipe). This will add to the flavour and fragrance.
- The gravy will thicken once it cools down, add water while cooking with this in mind to get the desired consistency to the gravy / sauce.
- Aloo gosht tastes even much better next day, hence you may like to cook it in advance to get the best flavours from your curry.
- You can use mutton, or even beef instead of lamb here.
This aloo gosht is
- Easy to make with some common spices which you will find in your kitchen cupboard.
- Can be made on a week day or make it in advance and freeze it. Simply thaw and heat properly before serving.
- Presence of potato makes it relatively cheaper compared to pure lamb curry. Potato is loved by kids too and kids can relish this aloo gosht with equal joy.
- Devoid of gluten, making it suitable for all those on gluten-free diet.
Serving suggestion
Serve this aloo gosht piping hot with any Indian bread, such as naan, chapatti or puri, or if you prefer rice, serve it with plain steamed rice.
Other lamb curries
Lamb rogan josh
Achari Gosht
Handi Gosht
Chettinad Lamb Curry
Recipe Card
Aloo Gosht – Lamb Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 500 Grams Lamb Choose medium pieces with bone
- 1 Onion Large, Finely chopped
- 2 Potatoes Medium size, chopped to desired size, I have used medium
- 2 Tomatoes Medium size, chopped
- 1 Inch Cinnamon stick
- 4 Cloves
- 2 Bayleaves
- 3 Garlic Cloves Chopped
- 1 Inch Ginger Chopped
- 2 Black Cardamom Optional
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Tsp Cumin Powder
- 2 Tsp Coriander Powder
- 1.5 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder As per taste
- 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tsp Salt As per taste
- 3 Tbsp Oil
Instructions
- In a pan, add 1 tbsp of oil, let the oil get hot and then add cut potatoes. Give potatoes shallow fry, then take out and keep aside.
- Now in the same pan, add 1 tbsp of oil, and once oil is hot, add onions, garlic and ginger. Keep the heat low to medium. Fry till the raw smell fades away.
- Add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder and fry till tomato is not raw and crunchy.
- Move all these contents and grind to a paste, and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, now add 1 tbsp of oil. Once oil has heated add bayleaves, black cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
- Add cumin seeds and when the seeds crackle, add cumin powder. Now add red chilli powder as well as coriander powder. Keep stirring the pan constantly.
- Now add the pureed onion, garlic, tomato in the pan and cook for 2 mins. Add 1.5 cup of water.
- Once the water gets a bit of boil, add cut lamb pieces in the pan. Add more water if required and cover the pan.
- After 30-35 mins lamb would get almost cooked. Check by taking a lamb piece out to see if its almost cooked. Now add the potatoes. Add more water if required to get desired consistency of the gravy.
- Let this cook on medium heat for another 8-10 mins. Finally add garam masala and mix it. Let this cook for 2 mins.
- Serve this hot lamb curry with rice or roti/ chapati.
Notes
- Before adding potatoes, keep them in warm water, this will take away the starch and avoid the curry getting sloppy.
- I have used lamb with bone. This aloo gosht tastes best when meat has bone. I have used spring lamb for better taste and spring lamb cooks relatively quicker too.
- Use a heavy pan for cooking to avoid burning of the curry. You can use pressure cooker too. If using pressure cooker, apply the pressure once mutton / lamb is added and let it cook for 4 whistles.