Afghani Lamb with Spinach
Submitted by race
Tender lamb chunks braised with turmeric, cardamom, and nutmeg, then folded with wilted spinach and tangy yogurt. This Afghan stew packs warm spice and bright citrus over fluffy rice pilaf.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
60 minREADY
70 minThis is the kind of stew that makes your kitchen smell like a spice market in the best possible way.
You sear lamb in olive oil until it’s deeply browned, then layer in onions, garlic, and a fragrant parade of turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, and crushed red pepper.
After an hour in the oven, the meat turns so tender it practically falls apart when you stir in fresh spinach and creamy yogurt.
The toasted pine nuts on top add a buttery crunch that cuts through all that richness.
Kitchen Tips
- Use leg of lamb if you can find it. The meat has enough marbling to stay juicy through the long braise.
- Don’t skip toasting the pine nuts. Three minutes at 350°F wakes up their nutty flavor.
- Stir in the yogurt off the heat so it doesn’t curdle from residual oven warmth.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the spices have had time to bloom.
Ingredients
Directions
Toast the pine nuts at 350℉ (180℃) F for about 3 minutes.
Sear lamb in the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onions; sauté them for 2 minutes; then add the garlic and sauté it for 1 minute.
Put in the turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom, crushed red pepper and cinnamon and sauté the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes more, being careful not to burn the onions or garlic. Add the tomatoes and veal stock and stir.
Cover the dish and bake at 350℉ (180℃). for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender and begins to break up. Remove the dish from the oven and add the spinach, stirring until the spinach is wilted and blended in.
Allow the stew to cool slightly. Add the yogurt, lemon peel and salt to taste.
Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings. Serve over rice pilaf.
This is a great recipe.
THIS DISH SUCKS!!