Karahi Gosht (With Beef) is a traditional Pakistani recipe that uses succulent boneless beef. This rich curry is cooked in a vessel known as a karahi with tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and serrano chilies. All you need to complete this recipe are three basic spices and a handful of cilantro.
Karahi Gosht is to Pakistani cuisine what butter chicken is to Indian cuisine. This delicious curry is a popular street food, and there are many variations of it. The two most popular versions are Chicken Karahi and mutton or lamb karahi gosht.
This recipe was born from my love for all karahi recipes and my kids' love of boneless meat. The key to any good karahi is the best quality meat you can source and fresh, juicy tomatoes. Since beef has a rich flavor, I've used minimal spices to allow the two key ingredients to shine.
If you like recipes like this that don't rely heavily on spices, try my mutton yakhni pulao (rice pilaf), gobi gosht (meat and cauliflower curry), and my easy moong masoor dal (lentil curry)
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy recipe - Unlike other beef recipes, like bihari kabab and beef pasanda, this recipe requires only a few spices and minimal effort.
- Hearty meal—This recipe is perfect for a protein-packed family dinner or to feed a crowd. For many Pakistanis, it's the ultimate comfort food.
- An aromatic dish - This recipe has a fresh, zesty fragrance from garlic, ginger, serrano chilies, and cilantro.
Ingredients for karahi gosht
- Meat - The first trick to a good karahi is to get good-quality beef. Use an excellent lean cut, like a tenderloin, and cut it into cubes.
- Tomatoes - Roma tomatoes are best for curries and sauces because they are juicy and easy to break down.
- Serrano chilies - These are very similar to the chilies in Pakistan and are my favorite for this recipe.
- Ginger - Thin, long ginger is stringy and fibrous. For best results, source plump, juicy ginger root with thin skin.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Add different chilies - Use Thai chilies for a nice pop of color, but leave them whole to prevent the beef from becoming too spicy. If you want less heat, use jalapenos.
- Try a seafood version - Use shrimp or a meaty fish like snapper or mahi mahi for this recipe.
- Make it with veggies - For a delicious vegetarian version of this recipe, Use potatoes, green beans, and eggplant.
- Use ghee - If you want a rich dhaba-style version of this recipe, use ghee instead of cooking oil.
- Use Veal - This is another good boneless alternative; the meat is less fibrous than beef.
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How to make karahi gosht
- First step - Heat the cooking oil and add the garlic paste. Saute for one to two minutes to allow the garlic to bloom.
- Second step - Add the beef and saute till it's no longer pink.
- Third step - Add the spices and stir fry for a few minutes.
- Fourth step - Add the tomatoes and two cups of water, bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the beef is tender.
- Fifth step: Uncover and evaporate any excess liquid before adding the green chilies, which should be sauteed for a few minutes.
- Sixth step - Add the julienned ginger, reserving two tablespoons for the garnish. Saute, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Seventh step - Uncover and add the cilantro, reserving some for the garnish.
- Eighth step - Plate the karahi gosht and garnish with the remaining ginger and cilantro.
Expert Tips
- Use a cast iron skillet - Since beef is tougher than chicken and the cooking time in this recipe is longer, a skillet with a lid works better than a wide, open karahi.
- Simmer the meat -Make sure to simmer the beef long enough to be tender. Depending on the cut you're using, it can sometimes take longer. Don't rush this part of the cooking.
- Make it from scratch - All ingredients, including the garlic paste and tomatoes, should be freshly sourced and made from scratch.
Recipe FAQS
Karahi gosht is usually cooked like a stir-fry and has little gravy. Traditionally, it is prepared without onions, but if you want to bulk up the sauce, add an onion at the beginning and brown it slightly.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to three days and frozen for six weeks. To reheat, defrost them in the refrigerator overnight and heat them in the microwave. Add a few tablespoons of water to prevent the curry from drying out during the heating process.
Other beef recipes you may like
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Karahi Gosht (With Beef)
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Ingredients
- 2 lb stew beef (see notes)
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- 2 tsp garlic
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 20 whole thai chilies
- 4 whole tomatoes see notes
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 bunch cilantro
Instructions
- Wash the chilies and slit them in half lengthwise.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes.
- Peel the ginger and julienne.
- Heat the cooking oil.
- Saute the garlic for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Saute the beef till it's no longer pink.
- Add the spices and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour till the meat is tender. (see notes)
- Uncover and dry out all the excess liquid.
- Add the chilies, followed by the ginger, and saute for 1-2 minutes till the oil separates from any residual liquid.
- Turn the stove off, garnish with the ginger and cilantro, stir and serve
Joe
I'd like to make this. What does the  mean in ¼? Is that supposed to be a 1? Thanks.
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Hi Joe. The A is an error. I recently made some website changes and somehow these A's have been cropping up in random places. My apologies. I've fixed it and the quantity is 1/4 tsp. I hope you do decide to try the recipe. please don't hesitate to ask me any other questions.