Lamb Pasanda with Fen Farm yoghurt

We were delighted when author and chef Torie True agreed to whip up one of her delicious dishes using our handmade Natural yoghurt. The flavours are delicious - and with the light spices, it's very family friendly. 

From her new cook book Seven Kitchens: A Journey Through India's Culinary Heritage

From Torie:

"This was a favoured dish in the courts of the Mughal emperors – the word pasande means favourite in Urdu. Only the best cuts of lamb or goat were used, and the preparation of the meat is important too – it needs to be sliced thinly into small strips, as opposed to chunks or cubes. If you have bought cubed lamb, simply place some baking parchment over it on a flat surface and then use a rolling pin to bash the lamb a few times so that it tenderises and flattens. Pasanda is a very mellow and lightly spiced dish, similar to a korma, and great for all the family." 

• Preparation time: 25 minutes
• Cooking time:1 hour
• Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1kg lamb neck, thinly sliced (approx. 2.5 x 0.5 inches)

½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp fine salt

4 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil

2 white onions, finely sliced

1 tbsp ghee (optional)

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

1 tbsp finely grated garlic

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp fine sugar

100ml water

300g full-fat Fen Farm natural yoghurt (or a dairy-free alternative such as Alpro Plain)

1 tbsp slivered almonds, to serve

Fresh coriander, to serve

For the pasanda masala:

15 whole almonds

5 cloves

5 black peppercorns

5 green cardamom pods, seeds only

1 black cardamom pod, seeds only

1-inch piece of cinnamon or cassia bark

1 tbsp white poppy seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

Method

1. Begin by toasting all the pasanda masala ingredients in a dry frying pan on a medium to high heat for a minute. Move them around the pan continuously to avoid burning, then transfer to a small bowl to cool.

2. Using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, grind the cooled masala ingredients to a powder.

3. Place the lamb in a bowl and coat thoroughly with the pasanda masala, Kashmiri chilli powder and ground turmeric. Cover and place in the fridge. You can do this the day before cooking and leave the lamb to marinate overnight, or you can continue straight to the next step if you are short of time.

4. Add half the oil to a pan and then add the onions. Cook on a medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until bronzed, stirring intermittently. Remove and place on kitchen paper to soak up excess oil and then place in a wet grinder to form a smooth paste. 

5. Add the ghee, if using, and remaining oil to the same pan on a medium-low heat. Add the grated garlic and ginger, stir for a minute and then add the marinated lamb. Move everything around the pan intermittently to stop it catching on the bottom.

6. After 5 minutes, lower the heat and add the ground coriander, sugar, yoghurt and fried onion paste. Mix well and continue to cook, then after 5 minutes, add the water and cover the pan.

7. Leave the pasanda to simmer, stirring intermittently, for 30 minutes. If it becomes too thick, simply add a little more water. Alternatively, you can cook the pasanda in a preheated oven at 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4 for 30 minutes.

8. Serve with a scattering of slivered almonds and fresh coriander alongside plain basmati rice or the Parsi ‘Brown’ Rice (from the Seven Kitchens cook book)

To get more recipe inspo, do give Torie a follow on Instagram @chilliandmint - she shares lots of mouth-watering content! 

Photo credit: Tim Green