Usta Asem Recipe

Prepare meat

Pat lamb pieces dry with paper towels. Season the cubes lightly with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper and set aside for 10 minutes.

Brown onions

Heat 2 tbs oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onions and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring frequently, until deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 15–20 minutes. Stir down any browned bits so they don't burn; reduce heat if needed.

Brown the lamb

Push onions to the side, increase heat to high, add remaining 2 tbs oil. In batches if necessary, add lamb cubes and brown on all sides, 4–6 minutes per batch. Remove browned lamb and set aside with onions.

Sauté aromatics and spices

Lower heat to medium. Add garlic and grated ginger to the pot and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes until it darkens slightly. Add ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, and cloves; toast the spices 1–2 minutes until aromatic, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Combine and simmer

Return the browned lamb and any accumulated juices plus the caramelized onions to the pot. Add the grated tomatoes, bay leaves, remaining 1 tsp salt, remaining 0.5 tsp black pepper, and 3 cups water or stock. Stir to combine, scrape up browned bits, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until lamb is tender, about 1 to 1¼ hours (longer for tougher cuts). Check every 20 minutes and skim any foam or excess fat.

Finish with yogurt

When lamb is tender, temper the whisked yogurt so it won't curdle: scoop ½ cup of hot stew liquid into the yogurt while whisking vigorously, then slowly stir the warmed yogurt back into the pot. Simmer uncovered on low 8–10 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the sauce slightly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

All ground spices are added during the 'Sauté aromatics and spices' step to bloom flavors in oil and tomato paste. Bay leaves are added with the liquid in 'Combine and simmer'. Salt is added in stages: initially to onions and meat, and adjusted after simmering and after adding yogurt.

Stir chopped cilantro and mint into the stew off the heat or with the pot on the lowest setting, along with the lemon juice, to brighten the dish. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Toast slivered almonds or pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until golden, stirring constantly, 2–3 minutes. Serve stew over steamed basmati rice or with flatbread; sprinkle nuts on top and garnish with additional cilantro if desired.