Dabba Gosht. Review on Tips on Thalis

DABBA GOSHT

(The supreme mutton delight)

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Dabba Gosht! If you’ve tasted it you know it’s unmatched, unparalleled – the ultimate amongst mutton dishes in Indian Cuisine.

Dabba means ‘tin’ and Gosht means ‘meat’ – does this imply that Dabba Gosht is mutton cooked in a tin? I don’t know. Wait a minute. Dabba, pronounced differently, also means ‘press’.  I’ve heard a theory, maybe apocryphal, that the dish is called Dabba Gosht because the boneless meat pieces are pressed against a special stone to enable the marinade and masalas to permeate thoroughly and make the boneless mutton pieces truly delicious, succulent and melt-in-the-mouth.

I love Dabba Gosht. It’s a rare dish and only very few select eateries feature it on their menu. I’ve savored it in Mumbai, at Delhi Darbar and Bagdadi(it’s a special dish available only once a week, on Sundays, I think), and I’ve heard it’s available at Noorani and George and maybe a couple of select places in Mumbai.

But I never imagined I would be able to relish a fantastic Dabba Gosht(the best I’ve tasted) in Pune, of all places, and that too not at the most likely suspects like Good Luck at Deccan, and the expected eateries in Camp, but at Sadanand(no, not the vegetarian eatery near Crawford Market), Sadanand Resorts, to be precise, located opposite Balewadi, at the junction of Baner Road and Katraj Bypass, and was pleasantly surprised to find Dabba Gosht listed on the Menu.

I ordered this rare dish with a bit of trepidation, but let me tell you the Dabba Gosht was superb – generous boneless mutton pieces, soft, juicy, succulent, releasing scrumptious flavor as they melted in my mouth and the yummy, delectable luxuriously thick white gravy made rich, wholesome and nutritious by the sumptuous combination of ingredients like cashew (kaju) paste, fresh cream and eggs. With hot roomali roti it was a rare and magnificent eating experience which makes my mouth water even as I write this now. Dabba Gosht and Roomali Roti – a feast fit for the kings!

Wherever you are, search for Dabba Gosht, and then relish it to your heart’s content. And don’t forget to tell me about it!

VIKRAM KARVE

vikramkarve@sify.com

https://foodiekarve.sulekha.com