Punjab cuisine
Paalak Gosht
Paalak Gosht is a traditional Punjab Pakistani dish. Paalak Gosht is a luxurious Punjabi curry of tender mutton slow-cooked in a vibrant spinach gravy, fragrant with whole spices and enriched with cream. Nutritious never tasted this indulgent.
Paalak gosht is proof that healthy food and delicious food are not mutually exclusive.
Iron-rich paalak (spinach) cooked with tender gosht (mutton) in a spiced gravy that's so beautiful in colour you'll want to photograph it before eating. And please do — that jewel-green with the glistening meat pieces is genuinely stunning. Fun fact: spinach leaves almost 80% of their volume when cooked, so what looks like a mountain of raw paalak becomes the perfect amount in the dish. This is why recipes call for seemingly alarming quantities. The key technique here is NOT overcooking the spinach — you want it to retain its vibrant green colour, which means adding it late in the cooking process and not letting it go dull and khaki. Trust the process. Your guests will think you trained at a professional kitchen.
Ingredients
Instructions
- COOK THE MEAT: Heat ghee in a heavy pot. Add finely sliced piyaz and cook until golden brown. Add adrak lahsun paste, cook 2 minutes. Add gosht pieces and seal on high heat until browned all over.
- MAKE MASALA: Add tamatar, laal mirch powder, dhania powder, haldi, and salt. Cook on medium-high until oil separates and masala clings to meat, about 10 minutes.
- PRESSURE COOK MEAT: Add 200ml water. Pressure cook for 20-25 minutes until meat is tender. Or simmer covered in a pot for 45-60 minutes. The meat should be falling-off-bone tender.
- BLANCH THE SPINACH: Separately, boil 500ml water. Add paalak leaves and blanch for just 2 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to cold water (this preserves the green colour). Blend to a rough paste — you want some texture, not a smooth puree.
- COMBINE: Open the pressure cooker. Add spinach paste to the meat. Stir well and simmer together on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. HINT: Don't cook too long after adding spinach or it will lose its colour.
- FINISH: Add garam masala and stir. Drizzle malai over the top and add julienned adrak. Serve immediately.
Essential for This Recipe
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Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
Adds deep red color with mild heat — essential for authentic karahi, biryani, and nihari without overwhelming heat
Coriander Powder (Dhania)
Citrusy and warm, essential for curry bases and curries throughout Pakistan
Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
The golden spice in every curry, dal, and rice dish — adds color, earthiness, and health benefits
Garam Masala Powder
The essential spice blend for curries, karahi, and biryanis — warm spices that define Pakistani cooking
Chef's Secrets
- The blanch-then-cold-water technique is the key to keeping spinach vibrant green — don't skip it
- Use baby paalak if available — less bitter and more tender than mature spinach
- Don't blend the spinach completely smooth — a slightly rough texture is more authentic
- If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of warm water; too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce
Common Questions
How long does Paalak Gosht take to make?
Total time is 1h 35m — 20m prep and 1h 15m cooking.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 4 servings, and is rated medium difficulty.
Which region of Pakistan is Paalak Gosht from?
Paalak Gosht is from Punjab, Pakistan — one of the country's most distinctive culinary traditions.
What do you serve with Paalak Gosht?
Serve with naan or roti. A simple kachumber salad (diced cucumber, tomato, onion with lemon and zeera) is the perfect fresh counterpoint to this rich, warm dish.
Goes Well With
Sarson Ka Saag
Sarson Ka Saag is Punjab's winter soul food — slow-cooked mustard greens with spinach and spices, finished with ghee-fried garlic and served with makki ki roti (cornbread). A dish so tied to Punjabi identity that it's practically a passport.
Methi Gosht
Methi Gosht is a distinctive Punjabi curry where the pleasantly bitter fenugreek leaves transform tender mutton into an aromatic, complex dish unlike any other. An acquired taste that becomes an obsession.
Bathua Saag
Bathua Saag is a rustic, seasonal Punjabi green made from lamb's quarters — a wild leafy green with an earthy, slightly tangy flavour that makes it one of winter's most beloved vegetables.
Cite This Recipe
Writing about Pakistani food? Use these ready-made citations.
<a href="https://pakistani.recipes/recipes/saag/bathua-saag/">Bathua Saag</a> — Pakistani Recipes
Ayesha Noor. "Bathua Saag." Pakistani Recipes, 2025. https://pakistani.recipes/recipes/saag/bathua-saag/
Ayesha Noor. (2025). Bathua Saag. Pakistani Recipes. Retrieved 2026-05-22, from https://pakistani.recipes/recipes/saag/bathua-saag/
What Cooks Are Saying
This recipe is a keeper. Followed it exactly and it turned out perfect.
Made this last weekend and the whole family loved it. Will definitely make again.