
Daal Gosht
Tender bone-in mutton simmered with chana daal in a well-browned onion and yogurt masala, finished with a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka. A hearty one-pot dinner for roti or rice.
Published 29 Sep 2026Updated Tested by Hina Ikram
Ingredients
Equipment: Large heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker (5–6 litre), small frying pan for the tarka, wooden spoon
Method
Soak the chana daal in plenty of water for 1 hour, then drain. Wash the mutton and pat it dry, and slice the onions, tomatoes and chillies while you wait.
Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat. Fry the sliced onions, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat if they darken too fast.
Add the mutton and ginger-garlic paste. Turn the heat up to medium-high and fry, stirring, until the meat loses its raw pink colour and the oil begins to shine, about 12 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and add the yogurt, turmeric, chilli, coriander, cumin and salt. Stir constantly for 2 minutes so the yogurt does not curdle, then add the tomatoes and green chillies.
Cook the masala over medium heat until the tomatoes break down and oil separates at the edges, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle in a splash of water if it catches on the base.
Add the drained daal and the hot water, and stir well. In a pressure cooker, seal the lid and cook for 25 minutes after full pressure, then let the pressure release naturally. In an open pot, cover and simmer on low for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until the mutton is tender.
Open the pot. The mutton should pull easily from the bone and the daal should be soft and starting to break down. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, mashing a few daal grains against the side, until the gravy is thick and spoonable. Stir in the garam masala.
For the tarka, heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and when they sizzle, add the garlic and dried chillies. Fry for about 1 minute until the garlic is light golden, without letting it burn.
Pour the hot tarka over the daal gosht, cover for 2 minutes to trap the aroma, then stir gently. Garnish with fresh coriander and ginger matchsticks.
Cooking tips
- Brown the onions well. Their sweetness and colour give the gravy its depth, so do not rush this step.
- Soaking the daal helps it cook at the same pace as the mutton, so you get soft grains without the meat turning stringy.
- Have the water hot when you add it. Cold water can slow the cooking and make the meat tougher.
- If the gravy thickens too much on standing, loosen it with a few spoonfuls of hot water rather than cooking it further.
Substitutions
- Use beef (with bone) instead of mutton, but add about 15 minutes of pressure-cooking time.
- Use bone-in chicken pieces for a quicker version. Add them with the water and simmer for only 25–30 minutes, until the chicken reaches 74°C.
- Swap half the chana daal for toor daal for a softer, creamier gravy.
- Use 2 tbsp of oil for the tarka instead of ghee if you prefer a lighter flavour.
Serve with
"Serve hot with fresh roti, naan or plain steamed rice. Add a side of sliced onion, green chillies and lemon wedges, and a cool cucumber raita."
Storage
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months without the fresh coriander garnish.
Reheating
Warm gently in a pot over low heat with a splash of water, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot throughout. Freshen it with a small extra tarka if you like.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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