This beef namkeen gosht is easily one of my favorite meat dishes. Simple to make, has a rustic, unassuming appearance, and yet tastes unbelievably good.
Namakeen gosht (aka namak gosht) literally translates to "salted meat". But the dish isn’t actually overly salty. The name just hints at meat (traditionally) cooked with salt alone. These days, though, many recipes, including mine, also call for other simple additions to oomph up the flavor and make the meat taste/smell less gamey. All while keeping the dish still fairly minimalistic.
My mum lets the meat slowly simmer until tender and fall-apart. But I prefer to pressure cook my beef, almost always, like also in my bhuna gosht recipe. Saves so much time and effort.
The process is easy peasy. I cook the beef in the Instant Pot with plenty of garlic and a couple of black cardamoms to get rid of any strong 'meaty' smell. Then I transfer the cooked meat and juices to a pan, let that liquid reduce all the way down, and finish it off with a few basic, everyday ingredients. The flavor payoff is HUGE for the little effort it takes.
Friendly advice: aim for a generous portion per person. This one doesn't stay on the table too long and isn't saucy, so you’ll want to make sure there’s enough meat to make up for it.
Pre-cooking notes and tips
- I've mostly seen this dish made with lamb or mutton. This version of mine has beef, as the name says. For mutton, I have a different recipe (I’ll share that one too). But you can definitely swap in mutton here if you like.
- Fresh garlic and ginger are key flavoring components. Premade pastes are a big no-no.
- If using salted butter instead of unsalted, reduce the quantity of added salt a bit, taste the final dish, and then add more if and as needed.
- I prefer freshly cracked black pepper over premade powder. The aroma and taste are more pronounced in the former.
- Green chilies come in all different sizes and kinds. And have different heat levels. I use Thai/bird's eye chilies. If using milder kinds, you may want to up the quantity a bit.
- Lime juice can replace lemon, but use less, as it’s usually more sour.
Serving ideas
Namkeen gosht pairs best with flatbreads. Naan, roti (romali roti is great), paratha, tortillas, whichever one you prefer. I wouldn’t serve it with rice since there’s no sauce, so the bites can taste dry and somewhat bland.
You can do kachumber or raita on the side, but the gosht shines best just on its own. Lemon wedges and finely chopped chilies are good optional toppings to put out on the table, in case someone wants extra tang or spice.
And that's a wrap!
This is one of those recipes that are good for all days and occasions. Weekdays, because it's so simple to make. Weekends, because who doesn't like to wind down with some good food. And Dawats and Eids, because we Desis take special pride in feeding our guests delicious food.
All that to say, you don't have to have an excuse to make it. Try my recipe, and if you do, circle back to leave your review and rating down below. I'd love that.
Happy cooking - Nelo
Beef Namkeen Gosht
Ingredients
- 8 cloves garlic - peeled
- 2 pounds (1 kg) bone-in beef - cut into 2-inch pieces (Note A)
- 3 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter - divided (Note B)
- 2 whole black cardamoms - aka bari elaichi
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar - aka safaid sirka
- 1 teaspoon salt - regular white salt (Note B)
- 1.5 teaspoons black pepper powder - freshly cracked pepper is better
- 3 small green chilies - finely chopped (Note C)
- 1 inch piece of ginger - peeled and julienned (cut into thin matchsticks)
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro - aka coriander/dhaniya
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Click/tap the checkboxes next to each ingredient to track your prep.
- Blend garlic with 1.25 cups water in a food processor or blender. Then add this garlic water, along with beef, 1 tablespoon butter, black cardamoms, white vinegar, and salt to an instant pot or pressure cooker. Give it a good mix.
- Lock the lid securely into place. Make sure the steam release valve is set to the sealing position. If using an electric pressure cooker/Instant Pot, select the High Pressure setting and cook for 25 minutes. When using a stovetop pressure cooker, heat until the cooker reaches full pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain gentle pressure, then begin timing 25 minutes.
- Once the cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully do a quick release to release any remaining pressure (always follow the safety instructions of your pressure cooker).
- Discard the black cardamoms. Transfer the meat and all the liquid to a wok or a wide pan and cook over high heat until most of the water has evaporated, around 10 to 12 minutes. Stir frequently and don't leave it unattended. When the oil starts to separate, turn the heat down to low, stir-fry the meat for 2 minutes.
- Add in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and black pepper powder, stir for another 2 minutes. Then add chopped green chilies, julienned ginger and lemon juice. Give it a quick mix.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with naan, roti or paratha. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
Leave a Comment