Sue's Recipes and Other Stories

Lamb Dumpukht (3)

Ingredients

560g boneless lambpreferably from the shoulder, cut into 2.5–4-cm cubes
250ml full-fat yoghurtpreferably Greek or ‘bio’, lightly beaten with a fork until smooth
11/2tsp garam masalapreferably home-made
3/4tsp cayenne pepper
1tsp salt
10 cardamom pods
1/4tsp peppercorns
1/2tsp saffron threadscrumbled
2 bay leaves
1tbsp sultanas
20 whole almondspreferably skinned

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients except the almonds in a non-reactive (ceramic, glass or stainless steel) bowl. Prick the meat with the tip of a knife so that the marinade can penetrate well. Mix thoroughly, cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours.
Put the almonds in a heatproof bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover them and leave to soak overnight, or up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 160ºC/gas mark 3.Lift the almonds out of their soaking liquid and peel them if they are not already skinned. Combine the meat, its marinade and the almonds in a flameproof pan.
Bring to a low simmer over a medium–low heat, stirring all the time so that the yoghurt does not curdle. Turn off the heat. Cover the pan first with foil, crimping it tightly, and then with its lid.
Place in the oven for 60–75 minutes, testing after an hour to see if the meat is tender; if not, return to the oven for 15 minutes.