Kashmiri Lamb

This recipe has been with me for over 30 years; it was given to me by a Kashmiri guy I shared a house with when I was 17. This is his mum's family recipe. Kashmir's cuisine combines the area's fruits and nuts with the ingredients and the cooking style of the Moghuls. This rich stew makes a marvelous main dish. Serve it with hot steamed rice or crusty breads. This is lovely!

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 489 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• salt to taste
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup dried unsweetened coconut
• 4 dried red chile peppers (such as cayenne)
• 3 long, green fresh chile peppers (such as Indian Jwala)
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri garam masala
• 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 2 pounds lamb meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• ½ teaspoon saffron threads
• 20 whole blanched almonds

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place red chiles, green chiles, cumin seeds, garam masala, ginger, garlic, grated coconut, and tomatoes into a blender; pulse several times to chop, then blend into a smooth paste.

Step 2

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Step 3

Stir the spice paste into the onion and cook and stir until the oil separates from the mixture, about 3 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in lamb pieces and salt. Cook, stirring frequently over medium-high heat, until the lamb pieces are browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.

Step 5

Mix in yogurt, saffron, and blanched almonds until well combined.

Step 6

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the meat is tender and the gravy is thick, about 1 hour.

Step 7

Garnish the curry with chopped cilantro before serving.