Palak Gosht

I intended to write this recipe without rendition. Old habits die hard I guess.

Thick black plump clouds and pouring rain-many eons ago one July afternoon. We had just made a move to a new home-I was out on the verandah with two little ones. The lady next door waved out to me and walked across to me in the pouring rain. She climbed the couple of steps and said-just come over should you need anything! Nice neighbor, I thought…That was the beginning of a long and wonderful association. Shared meals and shared gossip. Long, delightful conversations over the boundary wall, tea cups in hand. Their positive outlook on life and tons of humor. Advice given. And taken. Was this a special relationship? Or were we just neighbors?
Love of food was a common bond. She made the best “kachi meat ki biryani” ever. Whenever I asked for the recipe-she’d tell us to enjoy the biryani-and she would let us know the secret some time. That time never came. She passed away the recipe went with her. Her husband was particularly fond of the mutton we made-and each time he’d tell me how much he enjoyed it. He passed away a few days ago-we –his family and us re-live those wonderful days by making some of the dishes he loved-palak ghost being one of them.

Palak Gosht

500 grams mutton marinated for at least 4 hours in:
½ cup thick curd and a dry roasted spice mix of 4 cloves, 4 dry red chillies, 4 green cardamoms, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds.

Other ingredients 

2 onions sliced
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons grated ginger
¾ teaspoon turmeric
Salt
4 table spoons oil
Water
1 cup spinach leaves, washed well and chopped

Heat oil and sauté sliced onions and garlic. When soft, add ginger-cook till light brown.
Remove from oil, cool and grind using a little water.
Return mixture to oil and sauté till a nice golden brown, adding a little water at a time to avoid charring.
Add marinated mutton turmeric and salt. Add water to just cover mutton. Pressure cook till done.
Open lid after cooling. Add chopped spinach. Cook till water dries up. Serve hot…