Patthar ka Goshtपत्थर का गोश्त
Video: Cook With Fem (YouTube)
Patthar ka Gosht is Hyderabad's legendary stone-grilled mutton, where marinated bone-in pieces cook directly on a searingly hot flat stone heated over wood fire. The stone's intense, even heat creates a crackling crust that locks in the meat's juices, while a marinade of raw papaya and kachri slowly tenderises even the toughest cuts overnight. Beloved at Bakrid and Irani café counters across the Old City, it is the dish that reminds every Hyderabadi of smoky lanes and the unmistakeable perfume of stone-flower.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
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Ingredients
- ▪bone-in mutton (shoulder or rib), scored deeply1 kg
- ▪raw green papaya paste (tenderiser)2 tbsp
- ▪kachri powder (dried wild melon — قشری) for tenderising1 tbsp
- ▪plain yogurt1/2 cup
- ▪ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lahsun)2 tbsp
- ▪Kashmiri red chilli powder (for colour and mild heat)1 tsp
- ▪turmeric powder (haldi)1/2 tsp
- ▪coriander powder (dhania)1 tsp
- ▪garam masala1 tsp
- ▪stone flower / dagad phool (kalpasi — کالپاسی)1 tsp, lightly crushed
- ▪star anise (biryani phool)2 whole
- ▪lime juice2 tbsp
- ▪ghee or neutral oil2 tbsp
- ▪saltto taste
- Raw papaya paste: substitute with 1 tbsp kiwi-fruit puree or commercial meat tenderiser powder (unseasoned); both break down the protein fibres effectively. If using kiwi, reduce marinating time to 3–4 hours as it works faster.
- Stone flower (dagad phool / kalpasi): an aromatic lichen with a distinctly earthy, mossy note. If unavailable, simply omit — the dish is still wonderful. You may find it at Indian spice shops labelled kalpasi or black stone flower.
- Flat stone or heavy tawa: a cast-iron skillet heated until lightly smoking gives the same searing effect. A charcoal grill or wood-fired grill gets even closer to the original open-fire flavour.
Method
- 1Make the marinade: combine yogurt, raw papaya paste, kachri powder, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri red chilli, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, stone flower, star anise, lime juice and salt into a smooth paste.
- 2Score the mutton pieces down to the bone in a cross-hatch pattern so the marinade penetrates deeply. Coat every surface thoroughly, working it into the cuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours — overnight is ideal.
- 3Remove meat from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking to take the chill off.
- 4Heat a large flat stone, cast-iron griddle or heavy tawa directly over a high flame for 8–10 minutes until it is smoking hot; a drop of water should evaporate instantly on contact.
- 5Brush the surface generously with ghee, then lay the marinated pieces on the stone without crowding. Do not move them for 8–10 minutes — this is where the crust forms.
- 6Flip each piece carefully; cook the second side for 8–10 minutes until deeply charred on the outside and fully cooked through (juices run clear).
- 7Rest for 5 minutes off the heat. Serve with sliced raw onion, lime wedges, green chutney and sheermal or plain roti.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.