If you follow me on Instagram or have read my earlier posts, you’ll know my mother and I have very different approaches to cooking.
She prefers simplicity — few spices, straightforward methods, and the quickest option whenever possible.
Me? Well… me.
I’m drawn to elaborate preparations. I love spending hours simmering a jammy masala for a curry base and grinding freshly roasted whole spices to make a fragrant mix my mother insists I could buy in a packet. Simple cooking just isn’t my default.
That said, life sometimes demands simplicity. Since I started working, I’ve been learning to pare back. Between whiteboard hours, lesson planning and marking English homework, I often don’t have the time or the energy for an elaborate dinner and the inevitable mountain of dishes. These days I much prefer curling up with a large mug of tea and a buttery fruit tart, and enjoying a quiet evening without 17 students talking over me.
Lately I’ve been borrowing my mother’s uncomplicated methods to get through busy work nights.
That’s how I made today’s recipe, Phali Gosht. It came together with almost no fuss and I was surprised at how easy it was. I chopped the onion coarsely and skipped mincing the garlic — when everything cooks covered for an hour, the vegetables soften and later break down quickly when sautéed in oil. Simple, low-effort dinners that still taste great? Yes please. I’ll be using this method much more often.
Enjoy, with love x
📋 Recipe
Phali Gosht – Green Bean and Meat Curry
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Ingredients
- 1.1 lb (500 g) lamb beef or mutton, bone in
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 large onion chopped
- 7 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon ginger minced
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 8.5 oz (250 g) green beans
- 5 tablespoon oil adjust to preference, if needed
- Coriander for garnish
Instructions
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Place all ingredients except the green beans, oil and garnish into a pot. Add ½ cup water, cover and simmer on low until the meat is about 90% cooked — roughly 1 hour for lamb, 1.5 hours for mutton and 2–2.5 hours for beef. For tougher cuts like mutton or beef, add another ½ cup water if the pot looks dry or the mixture begins to stick.
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Uncover. The meat and tomatoes will have released moisture. Add the green beans, turn the heat to high and cook, stirring continuously, to reduce the gravy to your preferred consistency. You can leave it saucy and thick, or dry it down to a bhuna-style finish.
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When the consistency is right, add the oil and sauté the curry for 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly to develop flavor and texture.
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Check the green beans for doneness. I prefer them with a bit of bite, but if you want them softer, add a splash of water, cover and simmer on low until they reach the texture you like.
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Garnish with coriander and fresh chillies if you like, and serve hot.
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