Persian Lamb Stew

Step 1

Toast your walnuts for maximum flavour… You can do this in the same casserole dish you make the stew in or in the oven. Either way watch them like a hawk lest they burn. Once the walnuts start colouring transfer them to a mini chopper and grind to a fine powder.

Step 2

Heat olive oil and butter in your casserole until butter starts foaming. Add the onions, cover the pot and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t let them colour or catch.

Step 3

Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel, cooking for a minute or two.

Step 4

Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits in the pan.

Step 5

Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and honey. Add the dried cranberries stirring to combine.

Step 6

Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.

Step 7

Add the ground walnuts, stir to combine then cover the pot and cook on very low heat for about an hour. Open the casserole and give the stew a good stir every 20 minutes or so to make sure the walnuts are not sticking. By the the of your cooking time most of the liquid will have cooked down and the stew will be thick and glossy brown.

Step 8

Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and mint. Scatter jewel-like pomegranate seeds over the stew and serve.

Step 9

Select ‘Sauté’ and toast the walnuts for a few minutes, stirring. Use a slotted spoon to remove the walnuts and then grind them to a fine powder.

Step 10

Add the butter and oil and heat until butter starts foaming. Cancel Sauté then adjust to lowest heat setting. Cook the onions until very soft, 15-20 minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick.

Step 11

Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel.

Step 12

Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits.

Step 13

Add the pomegranate molasses, honey, dried cranberries and chicken stock. Stir in the ground walnuts.

Step 14

Cover and set vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes and allow for 10 minute natural release before manually releasing the steam.

Step 15

Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds.

Step 16

Follow steps 1-47 of the hob method then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for Avoid opening the cooker to check on the stew!

Step 17

Heat a tablespoon of butter in a lidded pot. If making golden rice then stir in half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, 5 whole cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick and a bay leaf. Stir to allow the spices to infuse the butter.

Step 18

Add white basmati rice (no need to rinse) to the pot and stir to coat in the fragrant butter.

Step 19

Add hot vegetable stock (or water) it should start simmering straight away. Stir once then cover the pot tightly and reduce heat to lowest setting. Leave to cook for 10 minutes without opening the pot.

Step 20

Remove the lid and check the rice - almost all of the liquid should have been absorbed. Stir once with a gentle folding action.

Step 21

Take the pot off the heat, cover with the lid and leave for another ten minutes for soft fluffy rice. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom pods. Season to taste and serve.