Lamb Braised in Yogurt with Onions and Tomatoes

Name: Lamb Braised in Yogurt with Onions and Tomatoes
Yield: serves 4 as a main course
Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt; Juice of 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for rubbing; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 large unpeeled cloves garlic; 5 large ripe tomatoes; 2 poblano or large jalapeno chiles; 1 pound white onions, shredded (4 cups); 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; Pinch of red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; Splash of red wine vinegar; 3 cups chicken stock; 5 cups whole-milk yogurt, drained overnight through a fine-mesh sieve; 5 teaspoons cornstarch; Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

January 24, 2012

This is a braised version of a traditional Turkish kebab dish. It’s adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Classical Turkish Cooking: Traditional Turkish Food for the American Kitchen by Ayla Algar. The meat is marinated in yogurt and lemon juice overnight to ensure tenderness. A separate yogurt sauce is used to braise the lamb. The result is very tender meat in a rich, flavorful sauce. Cooking in a wood-fired oven adds a slight smokiness and depth to the onions and tomatoes. Serve this with couscous or rice pilaf.

Cooks' Note

To stabilize the yogurt to prevent curdling when heated, stir in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch per 1 cup of yogurt. Also, make sure the yogurt is at room temperature before heating.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

Baked Butter Paneer

I should address the awkward truth that I don’t use butter here but cream instead. You could, if you’re a stickler for tradition (and not a heretic like me), add a big slab of butter to the finished curry.