Pakistani Lamb Curry (Dumbay ki Nihari)

Name: Pakistani Lamb Curry (Dumbay ki Nihari)
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Masala; 2 Tbsp poppy seeds; 1 Tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1/2 tsp black peppercorns; 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg; 5 whole cloves; 3 cardamom pods; 1 star anise; 1 stick cinnamon; 3 lbs boneless leg of lamb, cut in chunks; 1 onion, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 3 inch knob of ginger, minced; 1 Tbsp cayenne; 2 cups beef or chicken stock; 1/4 cup flour; 1/4 cup ghee; cilantro, minced

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

Nyack, NY

Modified from the recipe on Saveur. This recipe makes a curried lamb in a pressure cooker that cooks in an hour and falls apart in a spiced sauce. You could make this in a dutch oven instead, but it will take longer. The masala is made from whole spices, but you can substitute store bought. Serve over turmeric rice with minced cilantro and raita. I make my raita with curried fermented limes and Greek yogurt

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

Saved

Ingredients

1 hour

6 servings

Masala
2 Tbsppoppy seeds
1 Tbspcoriander seeds
1 tspcumin seeds
1 tspfennel seeds
1/2 tspblack peppercorns
1/4 tspgrated nutmeg
5whole cloves
3cardamom pods
1star anise
1 stickcinnamon
3 lbsboneless leg of lamb, cut in chunks
1onion, sliced
4 clovesgarlic, minced
3 inchknob of ginger, minced
1 Tbspcayenne
2 cupsbeef or chicken stock
1/4 cupflour
1/4 cupghee
cilantro, minced

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Steps

1 hour

1

Add the spices to a small skillet and toast over medium high heat. Grind the toasted spices in a grinder and set aside.
2

Heat a skillet on high heat with a little oil or ghee.
3

Salt the lamb chunks before searing.
4

Sear the lamb in the skillet in two batches. Place the lamb in the skillet and don't move for 5-8 minutes.
5

Place the seared lamb in the pressure cooker and sear the remaining lamb.
6

Add the second batch of lamb to the pressure cooker and return the skillet to the stove. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until browned.
7

Add the garlic, ginger, spice mix and cayenne. If you don't want to make your own masala use 5 Tbsp of store bought masala.
8

As the spice cooks and fries in the skillet add some of the stock to prevent burning and scrape up the bits on the bottom.
9

Add the spice mix to the pressure cooker and then rinse the skillet with the remaining stock. Add this to the pressure cooker too.
10

Cook on high pressure for 45 min. And allow to depressurize naturally for 20 min.
11

Combine the flour and ghee
12

Mix the flour to form a paste.
13

Add 1/4 cup of the hot cooking liquid to the flour mixture.
14

Whisk the mix until uniform
15

Add the mixture to the lamb and return to a simmer to thicken the sauce and cook the flour taste off (~10min). Plate with turmeric rice and fresh minced cilantro.