Recipe: Badami Gosht (Lamb dish)

Badami Gosht

1/4 cup oil
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 large onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1 kilogram lean lamb,cubed
1 1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon saffron, soaked in two tbsp water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
4 dried red chillis

How to Cook:
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and fry for 1 minute. Add onion, saute until soft, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger and fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add lamb cubes and fry until brown, about 5 minutes.

Whisk yogurt, saffron mixture, salt and chili powder together and add to lamb cubes. Cook for 5 minutes.

Grind almonds with enough water to form a thick paste. Add paste and whole chilies to lamb cubes, stir well to mix paste with gravy. Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.

Add coconut milk, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until lamb is cooked through and tender.

Uncover the pan for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a warmed dish and serve at once.

This recipe serves 6 people.