This is a collaborative post.
At first glance, Ramadan might not seem like an obvious focus for a food blog. After all, when this period of religious fasting comes around (it began on May 5th this year), Muslims worldwide will be focusing their attention on their spiritual journeys. Food will be the last thing on their minds, right?
After all, while sermons are heard, prayers are said and charities are supported, the fasting – and the idea that no food will be eaten – is often what often springs to mind when we think about Ramadan.
Except, that’s not entirely true. Since Ramadan 2019 lasts for 31 days, it’s unlikely that one seventh of the world’s population will be able to survive without food and drink for the entire duration.
In fact, the actual rule is that no food or drink may be consumed by Muslims during daylight hours. Once the sun falls below the horizon, it becomes ‘Halal’ (in line with Muslim law) to gorge on food once more. During Ramadan, feasts are common and depending on where you are in the world, they’ll take many different forms.
With this in mind – not to mention the popularity of last year’s post on what Muslims eat during Ramadan – I’m sharing a classic Pakistani Ramadan recipe for Dumbay Ki Nihari – slow-cooked lamb stew – on behalf of the Al Mustafa Welfare Trust charity. Traditionally, this dish would be cooked on a hot stove for several hours until tender, before being placed at the centre of the dinner table so that everyone can help themselves.
Pakistani Slow-Cooked Lamb Stew
Ingredients
Garam Masala
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 5 whole cloves
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 whole star anise
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
Nihari
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 yellow onion mdium
- 3 lamb shanks
- 1 tbsp Organic Cayenne Pepper Powder
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 3-inch piece fresh ginger 1 inch mashed into a paste & 2 inches julienned
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 2 tbsp ghee melted
Optional for serving
- 1 handful freshly chopped coriander
- 2-3 lemon and/or lime wedges
- pinch salt
Instructions
Garam Masala
- Purée poppy seeds and 1 tbsp water in a spice grinder to form a paste, then transfer to a bowl.
- Grind remaining spices into a powder.
- Stir the powder into the paste.
Nihari
- Heat oil and onion in a saucepan over a medium-heat. Cook until the onion is caramelised – for around 25 minutes – then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion to a bowl.
- Discard all but ¼ cup of oil from the pan.
- Cook the lamb, turning as needed, until browned – for around 8–10 minutes.
- Stir in the reserved garam masala, cayenne, garlic, ginger paste and salt, and continue to cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Add three cups of water and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, covered, for around 5 1⁄2–6 hours, until the lamb has fallen off the bone.
- Using tongs, transfer the lamb to a bowl and keep warm.
- Stir the flour, ghee and ¼ cup of water together in a bowl and add to the pan. Cook for around 15 minutes, until thickened.
- Return the lamb to the pan.
- Serve with the reserved onion, julienned ginger and, if you like, the coriander, lemon or lime wedges, chillies, and naan bread.
Notes
- Fresh nutmeg will give this dish a delicious flavour but if you can’t hunt it down, ground nutmeg will do.
This is a collaborative post.
Oh we love lamb in our house, that sounds really tasty! I love anything with ginger, defintely going to give this a go!
I think it looks delicious too. Lots of effort, but no doubt it’d be worth it!
I live near Dearborn,Michigan which has the biggest Muslim population in the United States.
As you can imagine,Ramadan is a huge event here and many resturants stay open a little later to allow Muslims to break their fast. Your soup looks very tasty and would be welcome in many homes tonight.
Oh wow, I never knew that. I bet Ramadan is a really big focus among the local community, in that case. I’ve always wanted to experience the kind of food that would traditionally be eaten during Ramadan, so I jumped at the opportunity to feature this recipe.
That sounds so tasty! Looks delicious too. Love Lamb.
I adore lamb too. I might be a bit biased, but I think Welsh Lamb is the best you can get your hands on.
This lamb stew looks absolutely delicious! I love that it is cooked for a while until tender.
Me too. I think it would be well worth the prep and cooking time!
This sounds amazing, I am going to have to try this as always looking for new recipes to try out at home
Glad you think so. Don’t forget to let me know how it goes if you do end up trying it out yourself at home.
I have only just started making lamb dishes this year but we are all enjoying it. This looks delicious.
I love lamb, especially when it’s slow-cooked so its silky and tender, mmm.
Oh I love lamb, it is such a tasty and tender meat, I’ve not cooked it like this before though, thanks. Mich x
Me too. I bet it literally falls apart in your mouth after cooking for this long!
What a delicious looking dish, I do love a good lamb stew and this looks yummy.
I love lamb too – especially Welsh Lamb, mmm!
Lamb is a Great meat to use it is can really hold up to a lot of spicing and keeps its flavour well. This recipe would be lovely to enjoy after a day of fasting and eating with the family.
I agree, although it takes a long time to prepare this dish, it would be ideal to sit down and eat with the whole family.
Delicious looking recipe! Will give it a go with ground nutmeg I have already!
I thought so too. It would work well with ground nutmeg but I absolutely love fresh nutmeg; if you can get your hands on any, it makes a world of difference to the flavour!