SAAG GOSHT/CHICKEN
One of the most pleasant dishes originated from Multan. An excellent combination of slow cooked meat and fresh spinach
Ingredients
- 1 kg lamb or mutton with bones
- or
- 1 kg chicken (boneless or with bones)
- 1 kg spinach finely chopped
- 50 g chopped soya leaves (dil)*
- 50 g chopped methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)*
- 250 g tomatoes (chopped)
- 250 g onion (sliced)
- 2/3 cup oil
- 1 ½ tsp ginger paste
- 1 ½ tsp garlic paste
- 2 tsp cumin seeds (whole zeera)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Seasonings:
- 1 tbsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
- 2-3 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp Haldi powder (turmeric powder)
- Salt (according to taste)
Instructions
- In a pot, boil the spinach with dil and fenugreek leaves with ½ cup water and ½ tsp salt. Once the water starts boiling, add 2tbsp lemon juice, cover and simmer cook for at least ½ an hour to make the spinach absolutely soft.
- Meanwhile, on the other side heat oil in another pot and fry onions. When light brown add cumin seeds, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and all the other seasonings. When adding salt, remember we have added ½ tsp to the spinach. Fry this masala for few minutes until you can see some oil floating add chicken/meat. Fry the meat with the masala for at least 4-5 minutes. The water released from the meat would have dried by now, add 1 cup water and bring it to boil. When it starts boiling cover and simmer cook on low medium flame for the required time to make the meat tender and fully cooked.
- It might take 25-30 minutes for chicken and approximately 40 minutes for mutton/lamb depending upon the quality of meat.
- After half an hour, check if the meat is completely cooked but not breaking apart, dry out any water left on medium flame. Add the cooked spinach with the water (if any left in the spinach) to the meat. Taste the seasoning and adjust. Further simmer cook with the lid closed for another 15-20 minutes. It’s important to cook the two together on low medium flame to be able to blend in all the flavours togetherAlso adjust the consistency of the dish. Finish off with a semi dry consistency.Serve with roti, chapati, paratha-flat breads or Rice!*if fresh dil and fenugreek not available then use the dried leaves of these herbs.
