Dhal Gosht is basically a mix of dhal (like yellow split peas/pigeon peas/red lentils) and lamb curry. Some people use goat but I prefer lamb. My version is the Durban style/ South African Indian style. You could cook the dhal and lamb curry separately and then mix them, allowing them to simmer together, but the Instant Pot makes it easier to cook it all together. The pressure cooking allows for it to cook very quickly but also allows all the flavors to infuse together and really penetrate the meat and sauce.
It has a bit of curry and briyani flavor at the same time with the dhal/dal adding a hearty taste. The lamb becomes extremely soft and tender - if using meat with bones, the meat will fall off the bone perfectly.
You can make this dish to the consistency you choose by slightly adjusting the water content. Keep in mind it will thicken a bit as it cools or if you have any left over. For this batch I made it more of a stew like consistency using 4 cups of water in the final cook. This is how I prefer it - I tried it previously with only 2 cups of water and I didn’t really like that it came out too thick.
A combination of different types of lentils/split peas can be used. For the sake of ease I use what I have on hand. For this recipe I used a mix of red lentils and toor dal (split yellow pigeon peas). I mixed the 2 types and soaked the dhal in water at the start of my ingredient preparation for about 20 - 30 min. Then I drained and rinsed it right before adding to the pot.
When I made this batch I used boneless lamb pieces with the fat trimmed off, almost like stew pieces. I cut them in about 1.5 inch cubes. I do also like this with the bone still in but I happened to have a pack of boneless lamb I wanted to use up. The lamb I buy cooks quite fast so I would throw caution if you have a tough type of meat you know that takes longer, then increase the cook time slightly.
Use the sauté function on the Instant Pot to fry the onions, spices (except the garam masala), tomatoes and meat, mixing frequently making sure not to burn. I have learned a few tricks using the Instant Pot to avoid a situation where the pot does not pressurize completely or the "burn" warning comes on due to food sticking to the bottom.
Warning: Always follow your pot's safety instructions and safety checks when cooking with the Instant Pot
Soak, rinse and drain starchy ingredients in cold water if possible. I soaked the dhal for ~25 min.
Deglaze the pot after using the saute function. Add a little water if necessary. This is probably the most important.
Add anything that will create a thick sauce like the dhal on top and away from the sides. Make sure the dhal is immersed in the water.
Sprinkle the garam masala on last without mixing it in. It tends to catch easier.
Doing the above worked perfectly for me and this dish. This dish can be served with roti or rice. The picture below is my son pretending to eat take the first bite ... always entertaining me. It is a little on the spicy side so I usually rinse the meat slightly for him or serve it with yogurt to make it milder for him.
Dhal Gosht in Instant Pot (Lamb cooked in Lentils) Recipe
Yield ~ 6 servings
Prep time ~ 25 min - 30 min
Cook time ~ 30 min
Ingredients
3/4 cup toor dal
1/4 cup red lentils
extra cold water to soak and rinse the dhal
4 cups water for cooking
~ 2 Tbsp olive oil/ vegetable oil
1 large onion (diced small)
1 thai green chili (finely sliced)
2 cinnamon stick pieces
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
4 Tbsp Durban red masala/ Red curry powder
6 - 8 cloves garlic (crushed or pressed)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tomato (grated)
2 lbs lamb (cut into ~ 1.5 inch cubes)
1 tsp garam masala
cilantro for garnish
mint for garnish
salt to taste (I used about 2.5 tsp in this recipe)
Method
Mix the dhal types together and soak in enough cold water to cover it while you prepare the rest of the ingredients ~ 25min - 30min. Drain and rinse once you start frying the onions.
Turn the on the saute function on the Instant Pot. Add oil and onions and fry ~ 5 min until translucent.
Add cinnamon stick pieces, cumin seed and chili and fry for about 1 min.
Add the Durban red masala/ Red curry powder and turmeric and fry for 1 - 2 min. Mix frequently do not let the spices burn.
Add tomato and fry for about a minute.
Add meat, ginger and garlic and fry to brown the meat slightly on all side ~ 4 min. Turn off the pot.
Deglaze the pot so nothing sticks to the bottom. Add some water if necessary. Add salt and the 4 cups of water and mix.
Add the rinsed and drained dhal mix being careful to keep it on the top layer and away from the sides. Make sure it is all under the water but still on top the layer.
Sprinkle the garam masala over without mixing.
Seal and pressure cook on high for 20 min. Allow steam to release naturally for 5 min then do a quick release.
Mix, garnish with cilantro and chopped mint. Serve with rice or roti.
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