Dabba Gosht : Mutton Delicacy

One of the quintessential Mumbai Food Delicacies that I miss in Pune is DABBA GOSHT

Yesterday, I did have Dabba Gosht at probably the only Pune restaurant that serves this dish and I was most disappointed. 

So – I have decided to cook and eat DABBA GOSHT in my mind’s eye – in my imagination. 

Let me dig deep into my Foodie Writing Archives – and pull out for this Dabba Gosht recipe I had posted on my blogs long back, more than 12 years ago.

This recipe for Dabba Gosht also features in my Foodie Book APPETITE FOR A STROLL

DABBA GOSHT – “MELT IN THE MOUTH” BAKED MUTTON CURRY

Recipe for the Inimitable Baked Mutton Curry Delicacy

By 

VIKRAM KARVE 

From my Foodie Archives: One of my favourite dishes... 

I love Dabba Gosht.

If you have tasted Dabba Gosht – you will know that it is unmatched, unparalleled, unique, inimitable – the ultimate amongst mutton dishes in Indian Cuisine.

It’s a rare, exquisite, delicious, succulent, melt-in-the-mouth boneless mutton delicacy dish – and only very few select eateries feature it on their menu.

My Dear Reader – Fellow Foodie – let me tell you how I make it – and you will know how it tastes.

MY RECIPE FOR “DABBA GOSHT”

STEP 1 : Cook the Mutton

 

I take some good quality fresh boneless mutton, say half a kilo – cut into small pieces – wash it clean – rub it thoroughly with “ginger - garlic - green chilli - green papaya paste” – and keep aside to marinate for a while.

I believe that: “cooking is a qualitative art – not a quantitative science”

So – I will leave the choice of exact proportions to you as per your experience and taste – I like to use a wee bit of green papaya paste as tenderizer for meat – but if you do not want to use raw papaya – and if your meat is very tender – then it just does not matter.

 

In a pan – with a tight fitting lid – I take two cups of water

To the water – I add whole spices (cloves, cardamom – both badi and choti elaichi, cinnamon, peppercorns, jeera, tejpatta) and salt to taste.

Then I add the marinated boneless mutton pieces – fit the lid tightly – put on a slow fire – till the mutton is cooked.

Please note – I have not added any oil so far  – I have added only water, then the spices and then the marinated mutton).

 

I love to sample and taste from time to time and assure myself everything is fine – tasting always helps me “plus-minus” the ingredients as required. 

If required – you can add some water – if you notice the mutton sticking to the pan.

 

Once the mutton is nicely cooked and succulent – I separate the cooked boneless mutton pieces and keep them aside. 

I do not throw away the spicy mutton stock – but – I strain the stock to remove any solid spice pieces.

We will be use the stock to prepare the cashew-nut gravy. 

STEP 2 : Make the Gravy

 

Now – I prepare a dahi-based thick kaju gravy – starting off with a generous amount of pure ghee to nicely sauté the spices, herbs, masalas, liquidized onions, tomato-puree.

Then – I add the spicy mutton stock – and  I prepare the rich cashew-nut gravy letting my imagination run riot – whisked curds, whipped cream, roasted onion paste, rich cashew-nut paste (fortified with almond-dry fruit pastes), grated cheese, even grated boiled eggs.

Sometimes – if I do not have all the ingredients to make the gravy thick enough – I may boil very small pieces of macaroni or spaghetti in the spicy mutton stock to smoothen and thicken the gravy.

 

I always keep tasting the gravy – so you must do too – do not forget to taste the gravy.

The gravy should be so luxuriant – and so lip-smacking yummy – that you should want to chew your fingers.

Once the gravy is ready – I stir in the fragrant spiced cooked boneless mutton pieces – and – I thicken the gravy to baking consistency. 

Once the Mutton Gravy is ready we will take it off the fire and complete the final step in the preparation of Dabba Gosht. 

STEP 3 : Bake the Dish

 

I thoroughly beat Four Eggs

Then – I delicately blend in half of the the beaten egg mixture into the boneless mutton gravy – till the beaten fluffy eggs and gravy have merged well into a smooth mélange. 

Now – I grease a baking tin with a liberal quantity of pure ghee

Then – I pour the mélange into the greased baking tin. 

Then – I pour a generous dollop of ghee on top of the yummy thick ready to bake mixture .

Now – I put the baking tin in the pre-heated oven – and bake the dish on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes till almost done.

When the dish is almost done – I open the oven – pull out the dish – and – on top of the baked mélange – I pour the remaining whisked egg mixture – and – I add a dollop of pure ghee 

Then – I put the dish back into the oven – close the oven – and – I complete the baking process till the dish is glazed and crusty. 

When ready – I garnish with fresh green coriander, thin ginger slices and juicy red tomato slices 

The Dabba Gosht is ready to be devoured. 

HOW TO EAT DABBA GOSHT

Dabba Gosht tastes superb with freshly baked pav or soft rotis served hot.

 

Dear Reader – you must have your own culinary discovery – but let me tell you that I find Dabba Gosht a superb eating experience – generous boneless mutton pieces, soft, juicy, succulent, releasing scrumptious flavor as they melt in my mouth and the yummy, delectable luxuriously thick white gravy made rich, wholesome and nutritious by the sumptuous combination of ingredients like cashew (kaju) paste, fresh cream and eggs.

It is a rare and magnificent eating experience – which makes my mouth water even as I write this.

Dabba Gosht is a supreme feast fit for the kings...!

Next time you eat out – scan the menu for Dabba Gosht. 

It is a Mumbai speciality and you will surely find it at a few select places in Mumbai like Noorani, Delhi Darbar, George (Fort) et al. 

My personal favourite in the Dabba Gosht at Noorani near Haji Ali on Tardeo Road.

I have once savored an excellent Dabba Gosht at Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar near Metro where I think they don’t bake it – but they “dum” cook it – leaving the gravy a bit less thick – so you can enjoy it with roti – yes - the Dabba Gosht tasted delicious with Khameeri Roti.

I have also chanced upon a decent Dabba Gosht at Sadanand Restaurant in Pune – located opposite Balewadi – at the junction of Baner Road and Katraj Bypass – and I found the Dabba Gosht quite good.

 

Wherever you are – search for Dabba Gosht – or cook the exquisite dish yourself. 

It is best to bake Dabba Gosht as I have explained in the recipe – but if you prefer – you may dum cook it. 

Remember to enrich the dish – play around with the ingredients – improvising, experimenting, improving the recipe – and then relish it to your heart’s content.

And – don’t forget to tell us all about your Dabba Gosht cooking and eating experience ... ! 

FOOD “GYAN”

WHY THIS DISH IS CALLED DABBA GOSHT

Dear Fellow Foodie – have you wondered why this dish is called DABBA GOSHT...? 

Dabba means ‘TIN’ 

Gosht means ‘MEAT’

So – does this imply that Dabba Gosht is “mutton cooked in a tin” ...? 

Yes – we baked the dish in a baking tin – isn’t it...?

Wait a minute. 

There is another explanation too. 

Dabba – pronounced differently – also means ‘PRESS’.   

I have heard a theory – maybe apocryphal – that the dish is called Dabba Gosht because the boneless meat pieces are pressed against a special stone – to enable the marinade and masalas to permeate thoroughly – and make the boneless mutton pieces truly delicious, succulent and melt-in-the-mouth.

Well – whatever the version of the origins of its name – the fact is that Dabba Gosht is mouthwateringly lip-smackingly delicious. 

Do try out the recipe – and tell us how you liked it. 

And – if you find Dabba Gosht on the menu of any restaurant – do try it out – and let us know how you liked it.

Happy Cooking – and – Happy Eating.

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

1. This recipe is based on my improvisation. You are requested to do due diligence and use ingredients/cooking method as per your discretion/style.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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I wrote this recipe long back around 12 years ago, and it features in my foodie book APPETITE FOR A STROLL,  and I have also posted the recipe online in his foodie blogs at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/01/baked-mutton-curry-dabba-gosht.html  and   http://creative.sulekha.com/dabba-gosht-exquisite-mutton-delicacy_400861_blog