Ingredients
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp crushed red chile flakes
- 1/2 tsp plus 1 tsp turmeric
- 10 plus 8 black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp cardamom (use a combination of green and black cardamom pods if you have them)
- 2 2″ cinnamon sticks
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14.5 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 1 1/2″ piece ginger, peeled and minced
- Lava Lake Lamb shoulder cut into 2–3″ pieces
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 2 1/2 cups white basmati rice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cloves
- 2 dried bay leaves
Directions
In a dutch oven, or large heavy bottomed pot, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally for about thirty minutes, or until dark brown.
Remove onions from pot and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add garam masala, chile flakes, turmeric, 10 peppercorns, cardamom and 1 cinnamon stick. Cook for about a minute. Add in garlic, tomatoes and ginger. Cook for another 3 minutes.
Add lamb, seasoned with salt and cook for another five minutes. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and let simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally.
Add fried onions, yogurt, 1/2 cup mint, and 2 tbsp cilantro. Allow to cook for another 15 minutes, uncovered.
Meanwhile, make the rice: Boil 4 cups of water in a separate pan. Add rice, 8 peppercorns, 1 tsp cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, turmeric, cloves and bay leaves, and salt to taste. Cook rice until tender.
Serve lamb with rice and some fresh mint.