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Rumi Mahmood's Jhal Gosht Curry

I met Rumi through a good friend and chef, Onil Chibas. Rumi is a prolific home cook who was born in Bangladesh. He and his brother moved to the United States when quite young to pursue their studies. Rumi became the cook for this small family, maintaining ties to family and friends through his delicious cooking. Lucky me, he lives only 5 minutes away!

This is a spicy yogurt based braised beef or lamb curry. Chicken may also be used in the recipe but should be braised for a shorter time. The curry is delicious with Rangpur lime marmalade as an accompaniment.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lb. lamb or beef stew meat or one whole chicken cut into generous pieces
  • 2-3 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 1 large coarsely chopped onion
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 Tbs. tomato paste
  • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Spice Ingredients

  • 1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper or pepper flakes
  • 1 chopped jalapeno pepper
  • 1 tsp. coriander
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • 3-4 finely chopped fresh garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 green or black cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole cloves
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg (freshly grated is best)

Method

  • Sauté the onions with the oil in a wok or deep skillet until translucent to light brown.
  • Add all the spices and stir well, about 6-8 minutes on medium heat to develop flavor. Let the spices cook first prior to adding water. To avoid having the mixture stick or burn, add water sparingly to moisten.
  • Add the meat, stirring well to distribute among the spice/onion mixture of medium to high heat until well seared. If using chicken, cook over medium heat until skin is golden brown.
  • Reduce the heat to medium low.
  • Add the yogurt and the tomato paste.
  • Cover and continue to braise for 40 to 50 minutes until the meat is tender. For chicken, the time should be reduced to about 30 minutes.
  • Remove all the cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods.
  • Serve with rice, naan, roti or paratha.

Resources

Bhanu Indian Grocery & Cuisine