This Easy and Quick Gajar Gosht is a simple, comforting Pakistani curry dish made with tender meat and flavorful carrots. It’s an one-pot recipe you can make any day of the week, yet it’s full of rich, satisfying flavor. Works beautifully with goat or beef, and has been tried and tested for great results.
What Is Gajar Gosht?
Gajar Gosht is a flavorful Pakistani curry made with mutton, beef, or lamb and tender carrots. This comforting stew is slow-cooked with a blend of fragrant spices until everything comes together beautifully.
Since carrots are at their best in winter, this dish feels especially cozy and warming on cold days, just like shalgham gosht and chukandar gosht. My mom used to cook this dish every winter when carrots were in season, and it’s one of those meals I grew up loving.
I remember from my childhood that when I came home from school, I’d smell this kind of food right away. The smell spread through the whole house, and it made everything feel warm and comforting.
How To Make Gajar Gosht – Step by Step
Cook the Meat
Add all the ingredients listed under “To Cook Meat Gravy” to a large heavy bottomed pot. Use enough water so that the meat gets tender. Cover and let it simmer on low heat until the meat is tender. I use baby goat which usually takes about 40 minutes to ge tender.
Sear the Meat
Once meat get tender, then add tomatoes and cover until tender. Turn the heat up to high and cook until any remaining moisture has completely evaporated. After that, continue sautéing (bhunai) for about 4- 5 minutes or until oil separates. This step helps deepen the flavor, and remove any smell. If anything sticks to the bottom of the pot, splash in 1–2 tablespoons of water to loosen it.
Add the Carrots
Add the carrots and mix well with the masala. Then add water so the carrots become tender and a gravy forms.
Garnishing
Once the carrots are tender and the gravy has thickened, lower the heat. Sprinkle in the garam masala and cilantro, then cover and let it rest for 2–3 minutes so the flavors and aroma can fully come together.
What makes this dish so delicious is the perfect mix of savory, slightly sweet, and tangy flavors, all from simple, everyday spices. The gajar gosht cooks into a rich, cozy gravy with tender meat that’s full of warmth and comfort. It’s the kind of meal that keeps you reaching for another bite because it’s just that satisfying.
Ingredients You Will Need For Gajar Gosht
- Meat
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of high-quality meat, which is the base of this dish. My preference is for bone-in goat or lamb because it has more flavor. Ensure the meat is cut into 2 1/2 to 3-inch pieces; I like using meat from legs and chops. It comes out incredibly flavorful either way. - Ginger and garlic paste: Freshly minced ginger and garlic paste enhances the taste, but you can also use pre-made ginger and garlic paste.
- Onion: In Pakistani and Indian cuisine, onions are used as a base and to help make gravy. Red onions, thanks to their milder sweetness, are especially effective for this.
- Spices: The spices used in this recipe are common pantry items readily accessible in every home. I used salt, red chili, Kashmiri chili, turmeric, cumin, coriander powder, and garam masala. Kashmiri mirch is optional; it is only there for the color.
- Imli Or Tomatoes: (optional) It is for adding extra flavor and thickness to the gravy. You can add either, or even skip. I usually like to add tomatoes in my Gajar gosht.
- Carrots: Peel the carrots and cut into a 3 or4 inch pieces.
Recipe Variations and Substitute
In fact, you can use different variations and substitutes for Gajar Gosht, depending on taste, availability, and dietary preferences.
- Gravy Style:
Make it shorba-style with more water for a light, soupy curry, or cook it down for a thick bhuna hua consistency. - Meat Choice:
You can choice any type of meat of your choice, such as mutton, beef, lamb and good for authentic, richer flavor and chicken for milder taste. - Sweet–Tangy Balance:
You can totally add any tangy thing according to your prefrence and cooking style. Add a little tamarind for tanginess, or tomatoes are another good option its not only balance the sweetness but also helps to make the gravy, and adds bright rich color in your dish. Or simply sqeeze the lemon is also an easy and good way to enjoy gajar gosht.
How to Serve Gajar Gosht
Gajar gosht is usually enjoyed with roti or naan, but if you’re a rice lover, it pairs just as well with plain white rice.
This recipe is a true South Asian classic. While there are many different versions, I’m sharing my favorite go-to recipe, one that’s been tried and tested over the years. It’s simple, reliable, and honestly foolproof.
There are many versions of this traditional recipe. My mom makes it a little differently than I do, she uses imli (tamarind) to balance the natural sweetness of the carrots, while I like it using tomatoes. Some people like the gravy (shorba) thin like soupy, while others enjoy it thick and bhuna-style. Feel free to adjust it to your own taste and preference.
Frequently Asked questions
What meat works best for Gajar Gosht?
Goat or lamb meat is traditional and gives the best flavor, but beef works just as well. I will sugest to choose bone-in pieces for a richer flavor
Can I make Gajar Gosht in Instant pot?
Yes, Gajar Gosht can easily make in Instant pot. In fact cooking everything together helps the flavors develop beautifully.
What can I serve with Gajar Gosht?
It pairs well with roti, naan, or plain basmati rice,. Additionally, along with a side of raita or fresh salad.
Can I store leftovers?
Yes, Gajar Gosht keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Moreover, the flavor often improves the next day.
One Pot Gajar Gosht | Pakistani Style Carrot Meat Gravy
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcal1
hour10
minutesEasy and quick Gajar Gosht recipe made with tender meat and carrots. A comforting one-pot Pakistani curry with step-by-step instructions.
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Ingredients
- To Cook Meat Gravy
1/2 kg mutton with bone
2 medium onions
1/3 cup oil
Salt as per taste
1 tablespoons red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 teaspoons coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon zeera (cumin)
3 black peppercorns
1 black cardamom
3 ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
- Vegitables
3 tomatoes
4 carrots cut in 3 inch pieces
- Garnishing
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
fresh clintro
Directions
- In a heavy bottomed pot add oil, and thinly sliced onion and cook until translucent.
- Now add ginger and garlic paste.
- Add in the meat. After thoroughly incorporating the meat with the gg paste, stir until the color of the meat changes. This step aids in eliminating the entire meat odor.
- Now add all the dry spices. Combine all the ingredients. Add 2 to 3 cups of water, cover the pan, and cook the meat for 45 minutes on medium heat to achieve tenderness.
- At this time add tomotoes, cover and coook until get fully tender.
- Uncover it and bhonify until the oil separates from the masala.
- Now add cut and washed carrots mix well in masala and add 1 to 1 1/2 cup of water as well. Cover the pot with a lid and cook until the carrrots are tender.
- At this time make sure carrots are fully cooked and gravy is thickend, it should be a medium consistency and not be overly runny. If its runny cook on high heat until get the desire consistany.
- Sprinkle gram masala powder and cut clintro. Cover the lid and leave for 5 minutes.
- Serve with chappati, naan or roti.
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