Easy Punjabi Namkeen Gosht | How to make Punjabi Namkeen Gosht?
Also known as Quetta Namkeen Gosht. Learn about & make namkeen gosht from scratch.
Punjabi Namkeen Gosht is a special and famous dish of Northern and Western areas of Pakistan. Also known as Quetta Namkeen Gosht, it is rather simple to make too.
Keeping it simple, the punjabi namkeen gosht recipe includes heating of oil and then adding the meat with its marinade.
Then, you just let the meat cook in its own juices and salt and pepper seasoning for about 30-40 minutes on slow fire. And you are done. :)
What is Namkeen Gosht?
Namkeen Gosht Recipe is a delicacy from the cuisine of Quetta, Baluchistan. It is also made in other areas of NWFP including Peshawar & Dera Ismail Khan. Punjabi Namkeen Gosht is made either during Eid-ul-Azha (Badi Eid) or for special family functions. It is different from the famous Peshawari Gosht or Peshawari Kadai Gosht.
My attempts to find the original recipe of this very elusive dish were quite painful and confusing.
Namkeen Ghost is a special, simple and delicious recipe from the cuisine of KPK.
People from Punjab make this delicacy either during Eid-ul-Azha or for their special family functions.
Namkeen Ghost is famous, simple and delicious recipe belongs to the cuisine of KPK. As mentioned previously, it is made commonly at Quetta, Baluchistan and Peshawar.
But in Punjab people opt for it either during Eid-ul-Azha or for special family functions. Bakrid, is also known as Eid-Ul-Adha or Bakra Eid. The name translates to ‘festival of sacrifice’.
A male goat is sacrificed on this day and cooked into lavish delicacies that are divided into equal thirds and enjoyed by the family, donated to the poor and given to relatives.
The noble idea behind the festival is that no one should be left without food on Eid-Ul-Adha.
Food plays a significant role in making all Eid gatherings memorable and when it comes to Eid-ul-Adha, no one can ever think of resisting to have something delicious & appetising.
This mouthwatering recipe of Namkeen Gosht is to make this occasion hard to forget. So, it makes you go to this recipe every time you wish to eat a delicious mutton dish with you friends and family.
The War of the Recipes for Making Punjabi Namkeen Gosht
It became difficult to ascertain which one was really authentic Punjabi Namkeen Gosht recipe.
During the course of my online research for the authentic Punjabi Namkeen Gosht recipe, I came across a lot of conflicting preparations.
It became difficult to ascertain which one was really authentic Punjabi Namkeen Gosht recipe. Some recipes advocated the use of papaya as a tenderiser while others suggested the use of vinegar.
Some preparations indicated use of black pepper and others said: “stay away”. There were a few that recommended the use of tomatoes, turmeric & red chillies.
This was enough for me to enter a state of total analysis paralysis for the Punjabi Namkeen Gosht recipe.
While some recipes advocated the use of just garlic, others suggested use of both ginger and garlic.
The Namkeen Gosht Recipe Solution
Hope you all like my Punjabi Namkeen Gosht Recipe that follows below.
I understood that traditionally this decadent dish was made with either beef or sheep’s meat. Due to the unavailability of both, I planned to work with mutton or goat meat where fat content is relatively lower.
A big downside since the fat content is much lower in goat’s meat. Having known this a solution appeared. In case the meat you end up with doesn’t have much fat like I did, do consider adding a bit of “Ghee“.
The process beyond this, however, is extremely simple. You simply let the pieces of meat with fat simmer gently within its marinade. Reduce it till there is a cup of yakhni (stock or simple broth) left.
By then the meat is delightfully tender and juicy. Do try this Punjabi Namkeen Gosht recipe. It’s a must-have.
Keeping it simple, heat oil and add meat to sautéed ginger, garlic and green chillies. Let the meat cook in its own juices and salt and pepper seasoning for about 30-40 minutes.
Depending on the altitude, cooking pot, size and cut of meat cooking type may vary. Garnish is simple too just like the dish itself. Serve hot with naan.
I finally decided to use a simpler set of easily available ingredients and make Namkeen Gosht a bit “Punjabi” that I am.
This mutton dish is akin to another delicious mutton that my mother makes. Mom’s recipe is called Khatta Meat. But my recipe of Namkeen Gosht is contrary to her recipe which is with pressure cooking.
I decided to give it a bit of punch with green chillies and not using black pepper at all. The results were spectacular.
Hope you all like my Punjabi Namkeen Gosht Recipe that follows below.
Punjabi Namkeen Gosht - Important Elements for a Special Mutton Curry
Here are some simple steps to ensure how to make the best nankeen gosht.
- To make a delicious mutton curry, the choice of meat is very important. Choose fresh and tender cuts as this helps to get soft & succulent mutton after cooking.
- Bone-in lamb or mutton yields a more delicious gravy than boneless when it is slow cooked. The flavous from the bones transfer to the gravy making it thicker and tastier.
- Refrain from adding acidic ingredients like lemon or tomatoes to the pan before sautéing the mutton. Acidic ingredients tend to make the meat tough when added before sautéing it. You may add the tomatoes after sautéing the mutton.
Namkeen Gosht - Easy & Delicious Namkeen Gosht Recipe
Ingredients
- 750 gram Fresh Shoulder Meat on the bone with fat on
- 400 ml Vinegar Malt or Balsamic
- 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste Make fresh
- 300 gram Curds or Yoghurt Homemade
- 1 inch Ginger Fresh (Cut into julienne)
- 2 piece Green Chilies Thinly sliced long ones
- 3 tbsp Coriander leaves Fresh finely chopped
- 0.5 tsp Table Salt Please adjust to suit your taste
- 0.3 tbsp Black Pepper Powder Optional but suggested
Instructions
- Clean and dry the mutton pieces thoroughly and add malt vinegar to them. Let this rest for about 3-4 hours in the refrigerator.
- Drain and add curds, ginger garlic paste and salt. Mix well and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Add the mixture to the hot heavy-bottomed pan and let it simmer till done. It took me about 1.5 hours on low heat.
- Keep stirring ht meat in between.
- Garnish with ginger julienne, sliced green chillies and freshly chopped coriander.
- Serve as a snack or with plain hot rotis or a flatbread of your choice.
Notes
- Punjabi Namkeen Gosht will always turn out to be better when made with with fresh meat on the bone.
- Do not use any additional water in this namkeen gosht recipe.
Recipe Notes: Easy Punjabi Namkeen Gosht
- Use fresh meat for this mutton dish.
- Ensure you use freshly ground black pepper. It makes a marked difference to the taste.
- The balsamic vinegar marinade gives the dish a very nice tang.
Finally, to Sum It Up
Namkeen Gosht is a mutton dish popular in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its adjoining regions; Afghanistan, the tribal belt and Central Asia, where dishes similar to the local Namkeen Gosht are still enjoyed today.
It is a special, simple and delicious recipe belongs to the cuisine of KPK. As mentioned previously, it is made commonly at Quetta, Baluchistan and Peshawar.
In Punjab people opt for it either during Eid-ul-Azha or for special family functions. Bakrid, is also known as Eid-Ul-Adha or Bakra Eid. The name translates to ‘festival of sacrifice’.
A male goat is sacrificed on this day and cooked into lavish delicacies that are divided into equal thirds and enjoyed by the family, donated to the poor and given to relatives.
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[…] also check out the recipe for Namkeen Gosht. Another glorious lamb […]