A deliciously, creamy dal recipe from India’s northern state Kashmir that is cooked with meat and spices! This delicious dal tastes amazing with both rice and flatbreads
So, after my mutton yakhni pulao (pilaf) recipe post, here is another gem from the Kashmiri cuisine – Kashmiri chana dal gosht. This recipe involves cooking lentils and meat together. Dal stands for lentils and gosht for meat, in Hindi. In fact in one of my previous lentil recipe posts, I had talked about non-vegetarian dals, this is that! This is a super flavourful combination and absolutely filling. Hence, if you plan on cooking this, all you will need is some rice or bread and no other sides. This lentil recipe makes for an amazing weekend lunch/dinner. And is fabulous when you are entertaining guests. I am telling you, this mildly spiced dal is a heart winner. The creamy chana dal, cooked with spices along with the meat and garnished with caramelized onions, is truly a treat!
I love the cuisine, not for for it’s yummy food, but also due to the parallels it draws with Bengali cuisine. Similar to ours, mustard oil is prominently used in foods from the Kashmir valley. Moreover, they are predominantly rice and meat eaters – another similarity with the bongs. Consequently, this dal is also cooked in the flavour packed mustard oil. But, if you aren’t up for it, you could use ghee instead. The lentil that is used here – as the name suggests – is chana dal. Alternatively, known as Bengal gram in English. This is a common Indian lentil variety, that you should find easily with your Indian grocers. Also, while I have made the dal with mutton (goat meat), you could use lamb/chicken too.
Dalchaa
Dalchaa is another lentils and meat recipe that finds its roots in the Hyderabadi cuisine. While, these two recipes are similar, the differentiating factor comes from the souring agent. In the Kashmiri chana dal gosht no souring agent is added. On the other hand, tamarind is an essential ingredient in a dalchaa. I hope to share the Hyderabadi recipe soon too, but for now, it is time for its northern counterpart!
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Bhindi gosht (Indian lamb & okra stew)
One pot recipe
The beauty of the Kashmiri chana dal gosht is that, it is a one pot meal. For a dish that looks so regal, it is actually a very easy recipe. I have used a pressure cooker to make the dal. That’s because, it saves a lot of time. But, if you do not have one, you can always use a covered pot. Since, both mutton and lentils take longer to cook, a pressure cooker comes in handy. Nonetheless, do not let a cooking equipment stop you from trying out this delicious dal recipe. The tiny extra bit that you will need to do, however, is caramelizing the onions. These onions go as a garnish, and enhances the taste even more. You could fry the onions when the dal is cooking. That way, you won’t be putting in any extra minutes.
To make this, you will need regular Indian masalas. So, you do not need any extra prep to whip this one up. Simply, decide which day of the week you would love to devour a different kind of dal-chawaal.
Serving suggestions
Since the consistency of this lentil curry is thick, I love this Kashmiri chana dal gosht with Indian breads like rotis and naan. However, it tastes yummy paired with steamed rice and vegetable pulao too. Simply squeeze some lime juice over the freshly made, hot dal and enjoy a delicious meal whichever way that you prefer. And even though the onions are caramelized in ghee, that are used for garnish, feel free to add a dollop again, while having the dal!
So, do give this super yummy lentil recipe a try soon and let me know. You can share your food pictures with me on Pinterest and Instagram. You could also drop your feedback in comment section below.
Eat hearty!
Kashmiri chana dal gosht
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 300 g mutton on the bone
- 200 g chana dal soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilis
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 tbsp ginger paste
- 2 tbsp garlic paste
- 3-4 green chilis slit
- 2 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp cumin seed powder
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- salt to taste
For garnishing
- 1 small onion sliced
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ½ cup mint leaves chopped
Instructions
- Drain the soaked chana dal and keep it aside
- Heat oil, in the pressure cooker, until it turns pale and then add the whole spices
- When they turn fragrant, add the sliced large onion and fry until they caramelise
- Add the mutton pieces and sear them on high flame
- Once done, dial down the flame to a medium and add the ginger and garlic pastes along with the chilis
- Cook this for a couple minutes and then add all the spice powders, ½ cup of water and salt
- Keep stirring and cooking for 5-7 minutes and then add the chana dal (lentils)
- Mix this well, add the kasuri methi and 1 cup of hot water. Close the lid and cook until the meat and lentils are completely done
- Heat another pan and add the ghee. When it melts, add the small sliced onion and fry them until they caramelize. Set aside when done
- When the meat and lentils are cooked, wait for the pressure to subside. Open the lid and add the caramelised onions and mint leaves
- Mix well and serve the Kashmiri chana dal gosht, hot with either rice or naan and some lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- You could also use chicken or lamb. But be sure to use chunky pieces on the bone
- In case you want to thin the consistency of the dal down, add hot water accordingly and simmer for 5-7 minutes
- If it is too runny for your taste, bubble it over medium heat until your desired consistency is achieved
- g - grams
- tsp - teaspoon
- tbsp - tablespoon
- 1 cup = 250 millilitres
