There are some foods that have a visceral appeal, where even before you take a bite, every sense of yours knows what to expect. The tender tear of the paratha, the firm delicate swoosh into the masala, a piece of bread picking up heady spiced beef and the gentler cauliflower. You know just how good it will be before you take your first bite. And then when you do it’s tough to stop. In case you cannot tell because I am so subtle, Gobi Gosht is one of those foods for me. I can’t remember if my mother made it (must ask), or when and where I discovered it, but I am undeniably a fan. Like with all beef dishes the key - and this is absolutely the most important thing - is to get your meat tender. That means cook it low and slow as long as you can then dry up the meat and add the robust spices that will make it sing. It is how I now cook most beef dishes including my Aaloo Gosht. You can use your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to get there faster. For red meat it varies by region, but in the IP I put it on Manual for 15-17 minutes then let it naturally release. This is not a firm commandment so if you find the beef where you are gets tender quickly then please do check earlier! The addition of masala at the end may seem a little strange, but it is a trick I learnt from my friend Marium who once shared an Aaloo Gobi recipe with me that was finished of the same way. It is a simple step, but transformative in what it does for the dish. There is a subtly fieriness that sings once you add that squeeze of lemon and while you may be tempted to skip it I would recommend trying it at least once. Fellow meat lover like me? Check out my Timatar Gosht right over here!
