Saag Gosht: Punjabi Beef and Spinach Curry
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This delicious curry from the northwest region of India can be made with beef or lamb.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) beef chuck (or lamb), cut into 1/2 inch cubes, patted dry and sprinkled with salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) ghee (or butter)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp plain whole fat yogurt
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven or pot. Fry the beef until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Saute the onions for 25 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 3 minutes. Add the spices, except for the bay leaf and cardamom pods, and saute for another minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and the tomatoes and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any of the browned bits. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt.
- Add the beef cubes, beef broth, bay leaf, cardamom pods and salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt to taste. Serve with steamed Basmati rice.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use lamb instead of beef?
Yes—the excerpt and the ingredient list both explicitly offer lamb as an alternative to the 1 1/2 lb (680 g) beef chuck. Lamb shoulder cut into 1/2-inch cubes is the traditional choice for saag gosht in Punjab and will cook in roughly the same 1-hour braise time.
Why do the onions need to cook for 25 minutes?
Step 2 specifically calls for sautéing the onions for 25 minutes until caramelized. Deep caramelization develops the foundational sweetness and body of the curry sauce; under-cooked onions would leave the sauce tasting sharp and thin rather than rich and deeply flavored.
What is ghee and can I substitute butter?
Ghee is clarified butter with the milk solids removed, giving it a higher smoke point and a nuttier flavor than regular butter. The recipe uses 1 tbsp ghee alongside 1 tbsp olive oil for browning the beef, and the ingredient list explicitly lists butter as a direct substitute. 
When should the spinach go in, and should I use fresh or frozen?
The spinach is added after the beef has braised for 1 hour, then the curry cooks for another 30 minutes. The recipe calls specifically for one 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained—thorough draining is essential to prevent watering down the sauce.
