on Dec 01, 2022, Updated Dec 12, 2023
About Saag Gosht
Saag means “greens” and gosht means “mutton” in Hindi. Saag Gosht translates to mutton cooked with greens.
It is a North Indian and Pakistani winter delicacy.
In winter, fresh greens flood the markets, and many recipes are made using them. Palak Paneer, Saag Paneer, Aloo Methi Sabzi, and Sarson ka Saag are the most popular ones and so is this mutton curry made with mixed winter greens.
It uses a mix of greens like spinach, fenugreek, and dill leaves.
Do not confuse it with Palak Gosht, which is made using only spinach.
Serve saag mutton with makki ki roti, phulka, khamiri roti, or any Indian bread you choose for a hearty meal. It also tastes great with steamed or jeera rice with some sliced onions and lemon wedges on the side.
This recipe can be made in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot. I am sharing both methods below; choose the one that suits you the best.
Saag gosht recipe can be scaled easily too. If scaling, make it in a larger-sized instant pot or pressure cooker. I made the original recipe in a 3-quart instant pot or 3-liter pressure cooker. The time of pressure cooking will remain the same.
Here are a few more mutton recipes
Spicy Mutton Pulao Mutton Rogan Josh Bhuna Gosht Kosha Mangsho Railway Mutton Curry Mutton Korma Mutton Rara Punjabi Mutton Curry Mughlai Mutton Stew
Ingredients
Mutton
Use bone-in goat mutton for the best taste, as the bones add a lot of flavor to the curry. If you are not a bone-in mutton, you can use boneless pieces too. You can replace goat meat with lamb chunks too.
For The Marination
To marinate the mutton, you will need thick plain yogurt (curd, dahi), ginger garlic paste, garam masala powder, freshly squeezed lime juice (or lemon juice), salt, and crispy fried onion (birista). You can use Greek yogurt in place of thick yogurt. Make Crispy Fried Onions at home using my easy recipe, or buy a packet to save some time.
For The Green Paste
To make the green paste, you will need spinach leaves (palak), fenugreek leaves (methi), cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), and green chillies. I also add some radish greens (mooli ke patte) and mustard greens (sarson ka saag), if they are available, to make this paste. They add a nice pungent taste to it. Adjust the green chilies as per your taste and preference. You will also need a little granulated sugar. Adding some sugar while blanching the greens makes their color very vibrant.
For The Curry
Whole Spices – You will need a few whole spices like cloves (laung), black peppercorns (kali mirch), black cardamoms (badi elaichi), and cinnamon sticks (dalchini). Spice Powders – This recipe uses a few basic spice powders like coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and cumin powder. Others – You will also need mustard oil, ghee, onions, and pureed fresh tomatoes. I also like to add some dill leaves at the end of the cooking for a nice flavor. You can choose to skip it. If mustard oil is unavailable, use any cooking oil. Add some coconut milk at the end of cooking for a taste change.
For The Tempering (Optional)
Tempering is optional, but if you are making this curry for any special occasion, then it is highly recommended. You will need ghee, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and fresh ginger.
How To Make Saag Gosht
Marinate The Mutton
Rinse 26 oz (750 g) bone-in goat mutton (cut into 1 and ½-inch pieces) with water and drain well. Add it to a large bowl. Add
½ cup of thick yogurt 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste ½ teaspoon garam masala powder 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 2 teaspoon salt ½ cup of golden fried onion
to the bowl and mix well to coat the pieces with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Make The Green Paste
Clean and wash
2 cups of spinach (packed) 1 cup of fenugreek leaves (packed) ½ cup of cilantro (packed)
thoroughly under running water. Heat 5-6 cups of water in a large pot over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoon of sugar to it. Add the washed greens and 2 green chilies to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from heat. Drain the water and run the greens immediately under cold water. Drain nicely. Transfer the blanched greens to a blender and blend to make a smooth paste. Note – You can add a little water while blending the greens if needed. Keep the green paste aside.
Make The Curry
In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
Heat 4 tablespoon of mustard oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add
3-4 cloves 3-4 black peppercorns 2 black cardamoms 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
and fry for 20 seconds. Add ½ cup of thinly sliced onions and cook until they turn golden brown, stirring frequently (10-12 minutes). Add the marinated meat along with the marinade and saute for 3-4 minutes. Now add ½ cup of pureed tomatoes and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally. Add
2 teaspoon coriander powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ½ teaspoon cumin powder
and mix well. Add ¼ cup of water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add 1 cup of water and close the lid of the cooker. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid. Add the green paste and ¼ cup of chopped dill leaves and cook again for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon ghee and mix well. Remove the cooker from heat.
In An Instant Pot
Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot. Follow the steps until closing the lid. Set the valve to the sealing position. Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 25 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot. Press the SAUTE button again. Add the green paste and ¼ cup of chopped dill leaves and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoon ghee and mix well. Press CANCEL.
Tempering (Optional)
Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the ghee is hot, add
1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2-3 whole dry red chilies 2 tablespoon julienned ginger
and let them crackle for 6-8 seconds. Pour the tempering over the mutton and mix well. Tip – You can save some tempering to garnish the curry. Check for salt and add more if needed. Transfer the curry to the serving bowl and garnish with fried onions. Serve hot!
Serving Suggestions
Saag Gosht is best paired with Makki Ki Roti or Khamiri Roti and sliced onions on the side for a comforting winter meal. You can serve this delicious curry with other Indian bread such as Phulka, Plain Tawa Paratha, Lachha Paratha, Naan Bread, or Tandoori Roti. It also tastes great with steamed rice, jeera rice, or lightly spiced pulao.
Storage Suggestions
Saag Gosht will easily last for 4-5 days when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It is also freezer-friendly. Let it cool down completely and freeze it in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours over the counter before reheating. You can reheat saag gosht in a pan or microwave. Add a little hot water while reheating to adjust the consistency, as the gravy tends to become thick after refrigeration.
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