Daal Gosht Recipe: Hearty Pakistani Lentil and Meat Curry for Every Occasion

Introduction to Daal Gosht

Daal Gosht is a traditional Pakistani lentil and meat curry that combines tender lamb or beef with flavourful lentils, creating a hearty dish cherished across South Asia.

A Daal Gosht recipe is always a is a cherished staple in Pakistani cuisine, blending the earthy flavours of lentils with the rich, tender meatiness of slow-cooked lamb, mutton or beef. This hearty Pakistani lentil and meat curry is a perfect marriage of protein-packed ingredients, simmered in a medley of fragrant spices that awaken the senses and bring comfort to every bite. Loved by families across South Asia, Daal Gosht is not just a meal—it’s a celebration of tradition and flavour.

Whether served with freshly baked naan, fluffy basmati rice, or simply enjoyed on its own, this curry is as versatile as it is delicious. Ideal for casual weeknight dinners or festive gatherings, Daal Gosht is a recipe that holds a special place in every Pakistani household. Dive into this guide to master the art of preparing this soul-warming dish, complete with tips, variations, and serving suggestions that will make it the star of your table.

Elevate your culinary skills and explore the rich heritage of South Asian cooking with this irresistible Daal Gosht recipe—a dish that’s sure to become a favourite for every occasion.

I always have loved daal gosht, it is a classic Pakistani curry. The gorgeously spiced lentils against the rich lamb is an absolutely perfect combination. It always feels like a bowl of absolute love when eating this easy daal gosht recipe. I have to have mine with plain basmati rice to soak up all the flavour and some wedges of lemon.

History and Cultural Significance of Daal Gosht

Daal Gosht is a timeless dish deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of South Asia, particularly Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Its origins are thought to be tied to the Mughal Empire (16th–19th century), known for its rich and decadent cuisine that merged Persian, Central Asian, and Indian culinary influences. The combination of lentils (daal) and meat (gosht) reflects the ingenuity of creating a dish that is both nourishing and flavourful, catering to royal palates while remaining accessible to the common people.

1. Family and Tradition: In many households, Daal Gosht recipes are passed down through generations, with each family adding its unique touch, such as varying spice levels, meat choices, or cooking techniques.
2. Symbol of Hospitality: Offering Daal Gosht to guests is a gesture of warmth and generosity, reflecting the cultural values of hospitality that are central to South Asian societies.
3. Festival Favorite: While it is a regular weeknight meal, Daal Gosht also makes its way onto the table during festive occasions like Eid, weddings, and community gatherings, where it is often cooked in large pots to serve many people.

My journey with Daal Gosht

Daal gosht was always something we ordered when eating out rather than at home. When newly married, my husband and I travelled to Edinburgh to see his family. His mother made daal gosht for dinner for the family. I absolutely loved this Pakistani lentil and meat curry, and it took me right back to those dinners out where we ordered this dish with my mum and dad. Here it was made at home, I had to have the recipe.

When I asked my mother in law for the recipe, instead of reeling off the ingredients and quantities, she said come here into the kitchen. I followed her accordingly. She went to the freezer and took out some more lamb, and immediately started to cook the daal gosht recipe again from scratch. She said you write it down and watch what I’m doing, I want you to see how I am making the dish so you grasp it properly and you can then make it when you go home.

I was shocked that she immediately started to make the curry again after just having made it literally for the family. I felt rather guilty for asking for the recipe at this point, I felt like I was putting her out. I think only after becoming a mum did I fully appreciate the love and passion behind her actions.

My mother in law’s mother no doubt showed her how to cook this recipe, now she was passing it down to me. What a privilege, what a family heirloom to pass on to me. Not only did she want me to learn how to make this dish, but she wanted me to see the technique and process behind it all, and of course to make a good meal for her son! Haha. I definitely can fully appreciate her passion now.

My mother in law sadly passed away earlier this year. And in truth I had forgotten about this recipe. On a lazy afternoon, after being told my email memory was nearly full, I started to sift through old emails and delete masses of emails. I then came upon this email to myself with this recipe typed up.

I have to say I had a lump in my throat when I remembered how I got this recipe that day we spent together in her kitchen in Edinburgh. So this recipe is very much dedicated to the memory of my lovely mother in law who took the time, effort and patience to show me first hand how to make this dish. Who we remember and pray for always.

Tips and Variations on how to make Daal Gosht

Daal gosht does tend to be traditionally made with channa dal, however you can use any yellow lentils that you prefer. I have made this recipe with urid daal for speed. However you can always switch this for chana daal and follow the instructions in the recipe, it will however take longer for the lentils to soften. If possible, soak the chana daal for a couple of hours or overnight if possible, this will speed up the cooking process.

I have used lamb on the bone for the recipe, but you could just as easily use boneless lamb for the recipe. Generally cooking on the bone does give an extra depth of flavour to a curry, all the nutrients from the bone will seep into the curry beautifully.

I would recommend adding ajwain (carom seeds) to the lentils as listed below. Not only is ajwain great for digestion, but it does add a gorgeous earthy depth of of flavour to the dish.

I have use freshly ground whole coriander seeds in this recipe, instead of pre-ground coriander which you will find in most supermarkets. Grinding the coriander seeds yourself adds a greater depth of flavour to the dish.

I’ve used my pressure cooker wherever possible to speed up the cooking process here. Those that follow my recipes know I love to look for a short cut. You can use the pressure cooker to cook the lentils too, however it may require a bit more effort in emptying and refilling the pressure cooker etc. This of course will result in less washing up too!

I’ve kept my base in the curry quite saucy, I do this when serving a curry with rice. However if you wanted to eat it with a chapati/ roti, I’d recommend you simmer the curry at the bhunning step I have mentioned. Simmer it until you are happy with the consistency of the sauce. It’s really down to personal preference.

Serving Suggestions for Daal Gosht

As with any daal dish, I always like to serve it with some lemon wedges and garnish with lots of fresh coriander. You could even add in some julienne ginger. I do love an extra zing of lemon juice on my daal, so lemon is the essential thing for me. I also personally prefer to serve the dish with rice, plain basmati rice would be absolutely perfect for the dish. As mentioned above you could quite easily also serve this dish with chapatis, naan or even a crispy paratha.

If you love lamb and lentils generally, another great recipe to try out is my haleem recipe. If it’s more lamb and rice you prefer, you could also try out my lamb biryani recipe.

See my video on Youtube, Instagram or TikTok to see how to make this dish. Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comment section below!

Ingredients for Daal Gosht

Preparation- 7 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes by pressure cooker, 1 hour and 50 minutes if by saucepan

Ingredients for Lamb/ Gosht

• 500 grams lamb shoulder, on the bone.
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1.5tsp red chilli powder
• 0.5tsp turmeric powder
• 1 inch cinnamon bark
• 0.5 tsp cumin seeds
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground (with mortal and pestle)
• 3 cloves
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 750ml of water (you may need more if cooking by saucepan)
• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 handful of fresh coriander for garnish

Ingredients for Lentils/ Daal

• 100 grams or 2 small handfuls of urid daal washed (rinse the daal before cooking)
• 1/4 tsp of ajwain/ carom seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 litre of water

• Fresh coriander and lemon wedges for garnish

Step by Step Preparation

• In a medium sauce pan add the lentil ingredients, and bring to boil. Then turn the heat down and cook on a medium heat until the lentils have softened. This should take 20-25 minutes.
  • If cooking by pressure cooker, this will take around 7 minutes.
  • As the lentils cook, you may see some scum that builds up in the water. You can remove this with a spoon.
• Whilst the lentils are cooking, add all the lamb ingredients, except the oil and lemon juice to the pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes.
  • If cooking my sauce pan, cook until the lamb has softened, around an hour.
• The lamb should be soft after this time
• Once the lentils have softened, drain off any excess water and add them and the oil to the lamb masala and stir through. There should be still quite a lot of liquid left in the lamb pan, if not you can add more water.
• Let the pan mixture simmer; “bhun” on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
• Then add the lemon juice.
• Finish with fresh coriander and serve with lemon wedges.