Indian cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Rista

Kashmiri lamb dumplings in a deep red sauce of mild chili, fennel and ground ginger, part of the Wazwan banquet.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700 g very lean lamb (leg, day-fresh)
• 80 g ghee
• 3 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (mild, for color)
• 2 tsp fennel seeds (ground)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick and 4 cloves
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt

Instructions

1. Remove all sinew from the lamb, chop it finely and pound it with 30 g ghee, the yogurt, 1 tsp salt and half the ground fennel for 15 min into a completely smooth, elastic mass.
2. Shape the chilled mixture into eight smooth, slightly elongated dumplings about 6 cm long, moistening your hands repeatedly so no cracks form.
3. Stir the chili powder into 200 ml warm water, let sit for 10 min, and pour through a sieve – this gives the sauce a bright red color without sharp heat.
4. Heat the remaining ghee in a wide pot, let the asafoetida, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves and cumin sizzle for 30 sec, and top up with the red chili water and 400 ml water.
5. Add the dumplings, season with salt, and poach uncovered over low heat for 45 min, swirling the pot rather than stirring, until the sauce reduces by half and turns glossy.
6. Stir in the remaining ground fennel and ground ginger, let rest for 5 min, and arrange the rista with plenty of red sauce over rice.