Dum pukht gosht

This is a Awadhi cuisine !
Dum pukht means`slow oven' in Persian.
Dum pukht is the cuisine of Awadh! It is now commonly used in other cuisines!
Here for Dum means `breathe in'and for pukht it means  to cook.
It cooks on a very low flame in a sealed container allowing the meat to cook in their own juices!

Ingredients:
Mutton or gosht-1 kg,
Curd- 1/2 kg-beaten,
Onion-3 medium size- finely sliced and fried in 100 ml of canola oil,
Kashmiri red chilli pwd- 1and 1/2 tsp,
Coriander pwd- 3 tbsp heapful,
Cumin pwd-2 tbsp heapful,
Turmeric pwd-1tsp,
Ginger paste-1 tbsp,
Garlic paste-2 tbsp,
Whole spices-
Cloves -6,
Cinnamon stick-2 ( one inch each ),
Big cardamom-4,
Small cardamom-8,
Bay leaf-2,
Small cardamom pwd- 1/2 tsp,
Green chilli-4 to 6-whole,

Garam masala pwd-1/2 tbsp.
Salt- to taste- 
Ghee-1 tbsp-(optional),
Canola oil -ghee or any oil -100 ml or 1/2 cup-( for frying onions),
Some dough for sealing.

 

Note- This is a rich but an  easy recipe and only frying required, are the onions.
Few things to keep in mind are -
 Marinated chicken should be at room temperature before you start cooking.
The cooking pot should be a little wide for even cooking and the heat has to be low ( use the small burner for the dum).
Check from the top to see steam formation under your lid,then only the cooking process starts.
The first ten minutes on direct heat are important for the mutton to get the right temperature for dum.


Method-
Wash and keep the mutton in a sieve to drain out the excess water.
Transfer the mutton in large bowl.
Beat the curd with wire whisk to smooth.
Pour the curd on to the mutton and mix with a spoon.

Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.
Take out from the fridge and let it come to room temperature( 40 minutes to an hour )
Heat a kadhai and put 100 ml of canola oil in it.
As oil heats up add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown.

Meanwhile the onions are frying,you can assemble the marinated mutton with all the ingredients in your cooking pot.
Take your cooking pot and add the marinated mutton once it is room temperature.
Add all the ingredients- coriander pwd,cumin pwd, ginger garlic paste,red chilli pwd,turmeric pwd,whole garam masala,whole green chillies,garam masala pwd,cardamom pwd and salt.

Add the fried onions along with the oil to the pot.

Add 1 tbsp ghee for flavour-(optional)

Mix thoroughly all the spices and powder with a spatula or wide spoon.

Take dough and make into thin rope and stick it around the edge or rim of the lid or place it on the rim of your pot.Cover the small hole on top of the lid too.
Put the lid on the pot to seal all edges.

Transfer the pot on your stove and keep on low flame.

The mutton will start simmering and as it starts to get heat from below,you will see droplets inside the lid.
 Let it stay for 10 minutes for the mutton to get direct heat.
Heat tawa on a small size burner alongside the pot.
As the tawa heats up lower the heat.
 Transfer the cooking pot after 10 minutes on to the heated tawa.

Raise the heat for 2 minutes and then lower the heat again.
After few minutes you will see steam droplets inside the lid,it indicates that the mutton is cooking.
Let it cook on low heat for 1 hour.(As the steam pressure builds up, some steam will find its way out  from the sealed dough.Do not worry )

(There is enough water from the curd to cook the mutton and enough gravy to enjoy your dish)

After an hour,you will see the oil floating on top.
Close gas and remove the pot from the tawa.

Let the pot remain closed for 15 to 20 minutes.
Insert a knife to cut through the sealed dough.
Remove the lid.
Adjust salt and check the tenderness.

This is easy to cook dish and very delicious!
The mutton cooked in slow process makes it very tender, juicy and has a very nice flavour to it.
There is no comparison between dum pukht method of cooking and pressure cooked food!

Enjoy this awadhi dum pukht with naan,roti or paratha along with onion rings and raita.