Pakistani-style Achar Gosht, or Achari Gosht, is a delicious meat curry (made with mutton or chicken) infused with the tangy, spicy flavors of South Asian pickle—achar. I first tried this flavorful dish in Pakistan, and I was instantly hooked! What sets this recipe apart is the unique blend of achar, a South Asian pickle that includes lemon, carrots, raw mango, green chilies, and a mix of aromatic spices in oil. It’s traditionally served with daal, chicken, or even as an appetizer. The combination of sourness and spice in achar adds an irresistible depth to the dish.
For my version, I’ve made a few adjustments to the recipe without compromising on flavor:
- Instead of using a full cup of oil, I only use 2 tablespoons.
- Rather than cooking the tomato sauce separately, I add chopped tomatoes right after the sautéed onions to reduce oil usage.
- I substitute nigella seeds for onion seeds—though they may look similar, they have distinct flavors.
For convenience, you can also use pre-made ground achar gosht masala, which is readily available at Indian and Pakistani grocery stores. This dish brings a taste of Pakistan to your plate with every bite!
Ingredients
- whole chicken cut into pieces (you can use mutton or beef instead)
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 2 tbsp Ginger and garlic paste
- Handful fresh coriander chopped
Achar masala
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Nigella seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp clove powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Achar mirch (pickled chillies)
- 6 green chillies
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine all the spices take 2 tablespoons and set aside until needed (for the pickled chillies step 2), add chicken pieces into the bowl, yoghurt and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice mix well to coat evenly; cover the marinated chicken and set aside for 30 mins and let the time do the work.
- Meanwhile, in shallow bowl mix the 2 tablespoon of the spices (masala) and add the remaining lemon juice to make a paste; slit the chillies in half lengthwise and stuff with the masala paste.
- Heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and stir for 5 mins, add the marinated meat and cook on high heat stirring constantly for 1 minutes, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until tender, adding a little water if required.
- Once the oil separates and water dries arrange the stuffed chillies on top of cooked chicken, cover and put on DUM let them cook on low heat for about 5 mins or until tender.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with Naan.
Notes
- DUM is a Pakistani and Indian technique where the biryani or meat cooked over a very low flame with sealed lid.
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