Bhed do Pyaza Recipe
Bhed do Pyaza
Lamb with 'Two Onions'
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
2 lbs Lamb Shoulder (Bhed) - trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
2 medium Tomatoes (Tamatar) - diced
2 large Onions (Pyaz) - halved and sliced paper-thin
1 large Onion (Pyaz) - diced
½ cup Oil - divided (can use grape seed, canola, avocado, vegetable, or olive oil)
¼ cup Heavy Cream (Malai)
¼ cup Raw Unroasted Cashews (Kaju) - rough chopped
2 Tbs Cashew Paste (soak cashews in water for 1 hour then grind)
Kosher Salt (Namak) to taste
Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) to taste
Marinade:
¼ Cup Plain Yogurt (Dahi)
¼ Cup Water
1 Tbs
Garam Masala
2 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - roasted and ground into fine powder
2 tsp Turmeric (Haldi)
2 tsp Kashmiri Chile Powder -OR- Paprika (Kashmiri/Deghi Mirch)
2 tsp Kosher Salt (Namak)
1 tsp Red Chile Powder (Lal Mirchi)
1 tsp Coriander Seeds (Dhania Saabut) - ground into a fine powder
Masala:
4 cloves Fresh Garlic (Leh-sun) - minced
1 inch piece Fresh Ginger (Adrak) - minced
1 Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
10 Whole Cloves (Laung)
6 Green Cardamom Pods (Choti Elaichi) - bruised
4 Black Cardamom Pods (Badi Elaichi)
1 Tbs Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds (Rai)
Preparation:
- Place all of the 'marinade ingredients' in a blender or food processor and puree into a smooth paste - Transfer to a large bowl, add the cubed lamb and toss until the lamb is evenly coated - Cover and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight for better results)
- Heat ¼ cup of the oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet, wok or kadahi over medium heat - Add the sliced onions and sauté until deep brown in color and slightly crisp (apx 30 minutes) NOTE: You may need to add up to 4 Tbs of water as necessary to keep the onions from sticking and scorching - Once browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the onions to a baking pan lined with absorbent paper and set aside until needed
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and allow it to heat until shimmering - Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion along with the cinnamon stick, whole cloves, cardamom pods, cumin seed, and mustard seed - Sauté until onions are tender and slightly colored (apx 7 minutes) - Add the remaining 'masala ingredients' and continue to sauté for an additional 5 minutes
- Add the lamb and all of its marinade to the mixture and thoroughly combine - Allow to cook until the raw smell is gone (apx 2 minutes)
- Add the tomatoes along with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil - Once a boil has been achieved, reduce heat to a simmer, loosely cover, and allow to cook (stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary) until the lamb is tender and the liquid has been reduced by half (apx 1 hour)
- Add the heavy cream, cashews, cashew paste, and thoroughly combine - Allow to cook (stirring constantly) for another 3-5 minutes
- Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste
- Serve hot garnished with the browned onions and a little chopped fresh coriander along with naan and raita
