Spiced Beef in Yoghurt

September 15, 2014

Dahi gosht is thin slices of beef marinated overnight in yoghurt and slowly simmered with onion, garlic, and a handful of Indian spices until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. The yoghurt does double duty: its acidity tenderises the meat during marinating, and during simmering it melds with the fat and spices into a creamy, rich sauce.

The dish is everyday food across much of North India and is built on the same underlying idea as a good bhuna — short cooking times for the spices, a long simmer for the meat. Garam masala is added only at the end to preserve its fresh, aromatic note.

Serve with cooked basmati rice to soak up the sauce. A piece of chapati or naan alongside does no harm.

Ingredients

Serves 4

500 g beef (e.g. chuck or braising steak), thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
300 ml natural yoghurt
3 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil)
1 large onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1½ tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala

Directions

Place the meat between two pieces of baking paper and beat it out to about ½ cm (¼ inch) thickness with a meat mallet or the base of a heavy pan.

Rub the meat with salt and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Place it in a bowl, pour the yoghurt over, and turn so all the pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight.

Heat the ghee or oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 4–5 minutes until soft and lightly golden.

Reduce the heat and add the ginger, coriander, chilli powder, cumin, and turmeric. Fry the spices for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. Watch that they do not burn — add a splash of water if the pan gets too dry.

Add the meat to the pan together with all the yoghurt marinade and stir well. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1½ hours. Stir occasionally and check there is enough liquid — add a splash of water if it is catching.

When the meat is tender and the sauce is thick, sprinkle over the garam masala and stir it in. Remove from the heat and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with steamed basmati rice and optionally chapati or naan.

Notes

Active time about 15 minutes plus overnight marinating. Simmering time about 1¾ hours.

Chuck or braising steak is a good choice because it has enough connective tissue to become tender during the long simmer. Fillet or other lean cuts will turn dry — save those for quicker dishes.

Yoghurt can split if it boils too vigorously. Keep the heat low and stir occasionally so the sauce stays creamy.

The dish can be made the day before and often tastes even better after a night in the refrigerator, where the spices have time to penetrate fully. Reheat gently over low heat.