Ingredients

2 T oil dhal (lentils)
2 T gram dhal (lentils)
250 g wheat, crushed (a.k.a. as lapsi)
2 T crushed barley
2 1/2 litres water
salt, to taste
125 g Sella basmati rice, cooked
4 heaped T hard ghee
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 t whole jeera (cumin seeds)
4 cloves
4 whole black peppercorns
4 -5 whole green chillies, crushed
600 g shoulder muttton, cut into pieces (or meaty soup bones)
1 t red chilli powder
1 t dhania powder (crushed coriander)
1 t jeera powder (cumin powder)
1 t ground turmeric
2 t ginger-and-garlic paste
1 whole green chilli, slit in half
3 sticks cinnamon
1 1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 t 1 t garam masala
a handful dhania (coriander), chopped
lemon, for serving

Method

1. Place the lentils, wheat and barley in a saucepan and rinse. Add the water and 1 t salt. Boil until very soft, approximately 45 minutes. Do not drain.

2. Once soft, add the cooked rice. Using a hand blender, give it a quick blitz. The texture should be rough and grainy, not smooth. Set aside.

3. Place 2 T ghee in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Add the medium onions and sauté with 1/2 t cumin seeds, the cloves and peppercorns. Once soft, add the green chillies, mutton or soup bones, chilli powder, crushed coriander, crushed cumin, turmeric, ginger and garlic paste, cinnamon and salt to taste. Add a little water, enough to cook the meat. Cook until soft and the meat is falling off the bone, approximately 45 mins in the pressure cooker. Add the puréed mixture to the cooked meat.

4. Place the remaining onion, ghee, cumin seeds and green chilli in a saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft, then add to the khitchro and mix well. Add the garam masala and coriander.

5. This is best eaten with fried samoosa pur or crispy baked phyllo pastry. A squeeze of fresh lemon, and a sweet tangy chutney pairs really well. Small bowls of garnish such as fried or pickled chilli, toasted cashew nuts and methi masala are also wonderful with this meal.

Find more recipes for Ramadan here.