Whenever you go to a restaurant – it is best to have the “Signature Dish” of the restaurant.
My Foodie Friends had told me that Marrakesh Restaurant (Balewadi High Street Pune) was famous for Shawarma, Falafel and Rolls.
The menu of Marrakesh Restaurant highlights Indian and Lebanese Food.
Why is a restaurant famous for Lebanese Food named Marrakesh...?
I do not know.
Because – Marrakesh is a city in Morocco.
Yes – Marrakesh (also spelt Marrakech) – is a historic city in Morocco.
So – why a Lebanese Cuisine restaurant is called Marrakesh – that – you will have to ask the owners.
But – like I told you earlier – Marrakesh restaurant in Balewadi High Street is famous for Lebanese Food – Shawarma, Falafel and Rolls.
In fact – most of the foodies in the restaurant were eating Rolls.
So – I should have ordered a Shawarma Roll.
But – I browsed through the menu – and – I was delighted to see “Dabba Gosht” on the menu.
Now – Dear Reader – one of the quintessential Mumbai Food Delicacies that I miss in Pune is DABBA GOSHT
So – instead of ordering Shawarma (the signature dish) as I normally would have done – I decided to be a bit adventurous – and – I ordered “Dabba Gosht”
I wish I had played safe and followed my dictum of ordering the “Signature Dish” of a restaurant – because – the Dabba Gosht was most disappointing.
Now – DABBA GOSHT is supposed to be a Baked Dish.
What was put in front of me was a spicy mutton gravy with a soft fried egg on top masquerading as Dabba Gosht (see pictures below)
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| “Dabba Gosht” Served |
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| “Dabba Gosht” Ready to Eat |
Well – I may be wrong – and – maybe – this may be the version of “Dabba Gosht” popular in Pune – but – like I said – according to me – “Dabba Gosht” is a baked mutton curry – like the quintessential Mumbai “Dabba Gosht” I used to relish during my Mumbai days.
So – 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
But – before you read my experimental recipe for “Dabba Gosht” – let me tell you that I also saw another of my favourite quintessential Mumbai Food Delicacies “Nalli Nihari” on the menu of Marrakesh.
But after today’s experience – the next time I visit Marrakesh – I will stick to its signature Shawarma Rolls...
Dear Reader – here is my recipe for Dabba Gosht...
DABBA GOSHT – “MELT IN THE MOUTH” BAKED MUTTON CURRY
Recipe and Food “Gyan”
By
VIKRAM KARVE
From my Foodie Archives: One of my favourite dishes – “Dabba Gosht”
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 “Dabba Gosht” – 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 elaichi 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 – yes – cover and cook the mutton – but keep and eye on the dish as it cooks.
Please note – I have not added any oil so far – I have added only water – spices – and then – I have added 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 strained “spicy mutton stock” to prepare the cashew-nut gravy.
STEP 2 : Make the Gravy
Now – I prepare a dahi-based thick kaju gravy (yoghurt based cashewnut gravy)
I start off with a generous amount of pure ghee Рto nicely saut̩ the spices, herbs, masalas, liquidized onions, tomato-puree.
Then – I add the spicy mutton stock – and I prepare the rich cashew-nut gravyletting 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 – so lip-smacking – so 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” – we will bake the “Dabba Gosht”.
STEP 3 : Bake the Dish
I thoroughly beat Four Eggs
Then РI delicately blend in half of the the beaten egg mixture into the boneless mutton gravy Рtill the beaten fluffy eggs and gravy have merged well into a smooth m̩lange.
Now – I grease a baking tin with a liberal quantity of pure ghee
Then РI pour the m̩lange 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 “Dabba Gosht” is almost done – I open the oven – pull out the baking tin with the almost done “Dabba Gosht” – 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 almost done “Dabba Gosht” back into the oven – close the oven – and – I complete the baking process till the dish is glazed and crusty.
When ready – I pull out the baked “Dabba Gosht” out of the oven – 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 flavour – 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”.
“Dabba Gosht” is a Mumbai speciality – and you will surely find “Dabba Gosht” at a few select places in Mumbai like Noorani, Delhi Darbar, George (Fort) et al.
My personal favourite is 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 – and today – at Marrakesh in Balewadi High Street – but the Pune Style Dabba Gosht were not baked.
Wherever you are – search for Dabba Gosht – or cook/bake 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 – Happy Baking – and – Happy Eating.
VIKRAM KARVE
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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.
