Lamb palak step-by-step recipe with video and photos.
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About this recipe
Lamb and spinach curry is traditionally known as saag gosht (saag means a leafy green vegetable, usually spinach, and gosht means the meat of goat or lamb). This dish is very popular all over India, especially in North India.
Soft and tender lamb pieces slathered in a mildly spiced spinach sauce, palak gosht is a winning dish loved by the entire family. This easy recipe will give you the most delicious spinach lamb curry with every morsel bursting with flavors.
Serve this authentic dish with homemade naan or rice along with creamy mango lassi for your next curry night. It is also perfect for parties and gatherings. Read on for ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and useful tips to make the BEST lamb spinach or gosht saagwala.
Also, check out this recipe to make palak paneer, which is the vegetarian version of this dish. Click here to make authentic rogan josh at home.
Lamb and spinach curry is a powerhouse of nutrition, where one of the most nutritious elements of the vegetable world and the meat world come together. While lamb meat is a great source of complete protein and a good source of animal fat, spinach is well known for its high content of vitamins and minerals along with antioxidants and chlorophyll. This dish also contains an assortment of spices along with onions and tomatoes which have a lot of health benefits as well.
Ingredients
Palak: I am using fresh spinach leaves in this dish. You can also replace it using frozen spinach. Learn how to freeze spinach leaves using this detailed guide.
Lamb: This dish can be made with either lamb or goat meat.
Onion and tomato: They are used to make the base gravy of the dish.
Ginger and garlic: I use minced ginger and lots of garlic in my recipe as it pairs very well with spinach.
Spices: The whole spices I use are bay leaves, black cardamom, cumin seeds, and cloves. The powdered spices I use are garam masala, amchur (dried mango powder), and chili powder.
Ghee: I prefer to make this dish with ghee; however, you may replace it with the cooking oil of your choice.
Kasuri methi: Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek leaves. This is an optional ingredient but I highly recommend not skipping it.
Step-by-step instructions
Wash and clean the spinach. Blanch spinach in boiling water. Puree the blanched spinach (steps 1,2).
Heat ghee and add cumin seeds, bay leaves, black cardamom, and cloves. Add onions and fry till it is lightly golden (steps 3,4).
Add ginger, garlic, green chili, amchur, chili powder, salt, and Kasuri methi. Saute for a minute (steps 5,6).
Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they become soft. Add garam masala. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the spices and tomatoes are cooked (steps 7,8).
Add the spinach puree. Simmer for 5-6 minutes and set aside (steps 9,10).
In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee. Add the lamb pieces (step 11).
Cook the lamb on high heat until it browns from all sides. Then add some water and let the lamb cook till it's tender (step 12).
Add the spinach gravy and simmer for 5 minutes (steps 13,14).
Useful tips to make the BEST lamb palak
Transfer the blanched palak to iced water immediately. This will help in retaining the color of the spinach.
Do not skip the tomatoes. It makes the dish very flavourful.
Do not skip Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) even though it is an optional ingredient. It pairs very well with this curry and adds a nutty flavor to the dish.
You can use goat instead of lamb in this dish. As goat meat takes a long time to cook, you may want to pressure cook the goat with some salt and whole spices till it's tender.
Cook the lamb on high heat initially till it's brown all over, then reduce the heat and cook till it's tender.
Add the spinach gravy to the lamb once the lamb is tender.
I am using fresh spinach in this dish. You can replace it with 2 packets of frozen spinach. In that case, defrost the spinach and blend it into a puree. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
More lamb and goat recipes:
1. Home-style lamb curry.
2. Lamb rogan josh.
3. Easy goat curry.
4. Keema matar.
5. Lamb vindaloo.
FAQs
It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. This curry also freezes well and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
This curry pairs well with steamed rice, cumin-flavored rice, naan and roti. See below for some easy to make side dish recipes that can be paired with it.
Serving suggestions
Soft and succulent pieces of lamb in the mildly spiced spinach gravy are a pleasure for the taste buds. Here are some side dishes that can be paired with lamb and spinach curry for a complete meal.
Bonus
This spinach and lamb curry (or lamb palak) is:
- delicious and nutritious
- very different from a regular Indian curry
- freezer-friendly
Recipe card
Lamb Palak / Saag Gosht (Lamb Spinach Curry)
Ingredients
- 2 bunches spinach
- 2 lb lamb
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 large tomato finely chopped
- ½ inch ginger grated
- 5-6 cloves garlic grated or finely chopped
- 1-2 green chili finely chopped (adjust as per taste)
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi
- ¾-1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
Spices:
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 black cardamom
- 2-3 cloves
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (or cayenne)
- 1 teaspoon amchur
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
Prep the spinach:
- Wash the spinach thoroughly.
- Boil water in a stockpot. Add 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Strain the spinach and refresh with cold water to stop cooking any further.
- Blend the spinach in a blender. Set it aside.
Make the curry base:
- Heat a frying pan, and add 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add black cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add onions and fry until they are lightly golden.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Add Kasuri methi, amchur, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Add tomato and cook for a few minutes until they are soft and pulpy.
- Add garam masala and cook until the spices and tomatoes are done.
- Add the spinach puree and mix well.
- Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Brown the lamb and finish the curry:
- In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee.
- Add the lamb pieces and mix well. Cook the lamb on high heat until it browns from all sides.
- Add little water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until the lamb is almost cooked (approximately 15 minutes).
- Add the spinach gravy and mix well. Add ½ cup hot water to adjust consistency if needed. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the curry comes together and reaches desired consistency.
- Serve hot.
Emily says
This was soooo good. I used chicken thighs instead of lamb. Just delicious. Plain and simple.
Dieter says
This sounds like an awesome recipe.
Was just wondering if one could add potatoes to it, and if so, then would you recommend adding it in with the meat cooking process?
Shilpa says
Thank you!
The best way to add potatoes would be to shallow-fry first and then add them when the lamb is half-cooked. Then add the spinach gravy once the lamb and potatoes are fully cooked. Alternatively, you can parboil the potatoes and add them along with spinach masala.
Do let me know how you go.
- Shilpa
Rosie1022 says
Great recipe Shilpa, am pleased you recommended sourcing kasoori methi and ghee- will definitely continue to mix and match protein with this one.
Shilpa says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Rosie. Thank you for your feedback.
- Shilpa