Gushtaba

Method

1. 1 Pound the lamb meat and fat in a mortar and pestle for 40 minutes until the mixture is smooth like paste.
2. 2 Pound the meat by hand instead of using a grinder; the machine will heat the meat and cause it to clump together instead of becoming smooth and pliable.
3. 3 The mixture is formed into very large, fist-sized balls, then refrigerated for 1 hour to make them firm.
4. 4 Beat the yogurt with cornstarch, then simmer over low heat, stirring continuously in one direction for 12 minutes.
5. 5 Roast cardamom, fennel seeds, and cinnamon sticks, then grind them into a fine powder and add it to the yogurt in a pot.
6. 6 Lower the gushtaba cubes into a pot and cook for 45 minutes without stirring, then drizzle with ghee and sprinkle with mint leaves.

With an appliance

• Oven 2 hr 40 min

  Replace steps 4–6: Place the whipped yogurt, seasonings, and gushtaba balls in a covered saucepan, set to the middle rack of the oven at 140°C for 35 minutes; reduce cooking time by about 10 minutes. Even heat helps the large balls soften to the core, prevents the sauce from sticking to the bottom, and eliminates the need to stir. The meat pounding and cooling times in steps 1–3 remain the same.