Lamb Curry Dum Pukht 2
Lamb Dum Pukht 2
Mamta gupta
Dum Pukht is an ancient Mogul method of cooking, where meats or biryanis are cooked in a heavy bottomed pan where the lid has been sealed with dough. Food is cooked on low heat, over hours.
When the lid is lifted, a beautiful aroma fills the room. Here, I have cooked it in a slow cooker, but have sealed the lid with dough, so no steam escapes. I have used lamb shanks, mixed with a few lamb chops, because I needed more meat, but you can use shanks alone or any other cuts you like. Fatty meat cooks better this way, you can always skim off the surplus fat from the top after cooking has finished.
Serves 8
Also see Lamb Dum Pukht
Edited May 2024
Ingredients
8 small lamb shanks (sometimes called pre-shanks) or 4-5 large ones, weighing approximately 1 1/2 Kg.
4-5 tbsp. oil
1 cup flour (any type) to make a dough
For the curry sauce
Oil left in the pan after step
1 tsp. cumin seeds
4-5 brown cardamoms
2-3 pieces of cinnamon stick or cassia bark
3-4 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cloves
4-5 cloves of garlic, grated
2 tsp. grated ginger root
4 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tin of chopped tomatoes or 1 mug of fresh, peeled and chopped tomatoes
4 tsp. coriander powder
1-2 tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste
3-4 tsp. sweet paprika powder for colour
2 tsp. ground cumin seeds
10-12 strands of saffron, soaked in a 2 cups of warm water
A couple of dry or fresh red chillies (optional)
Salt to taste
2 cup of stock or water
2 tsp. Garam masala
2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves (optional)
Optional
1 small cup double cream or thick natural yoghurt at room temperature
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish.
Instructions
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
Add cumin seeds and all other whole spices (cardamoms, black peppers, cloves, cinnamon stick. When the cumin crackle, add lamb shanks to the hot oil one by one and fry on all sides to seal the meat. Turn heat off (you do not want the garlic to burn, it will get bitter). Lift and place in a slow cooker or a heavy bottomed pan.
Make the curry gravy in the same pan; to the left over oil, onions and fry until medium brown. You can make them darker, but be careful not to burn them.
Add tomatoes and all the other spices, except garam masala. When the oil begins to leave the edges, it is ready. Taste and adjust salt and spices. It should be pretty strong, because it will be diluted with all that meat and water.
While the gravy is cooking, make the dough and keep aside.
Now pour it over the lamb shanks in the slow cooker and stir to coat each one well.
Add whole chillies and saffron water. Close the lid.
Switch the slow cooker to High.
Once the ingredients come to a brisk boil, turn the cooker down to medium and leave it to cook for 6-8 hours, until meat is beginning to fall off the bones.
The meat should be falling off the bones. You can lift out the bones at this stage and discard them before serving, as shown in the first picture. However, most of my friends and family love to have the bones left in, so I don't always remove them.
Add cream/yoghurt, if used, and stir it in.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Sprinkle garam masala, close the lid, so that the flavours can infuse.
Garnish with coriander leaves. My family don't like coriander leaves, so I usually don't.
Serve with Tandoori Roti 1 or Nan.
