Dum Pukht Pashtun

Dum pukht is a slow-steaming technique of Mughal origin, adopted and adapted by the Pashtun cooks of Peshawar and the northwest. The meat (mutton, beef, or sometimes chicken) is placed in a heavy pot with whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black cumin, bay), a little yogurt and ghee, and a small amount of water. The lid is sealed with a dough paste, and the pot is placed on very low heat for 3 to 4 hours, during which the meat cooks entirely in its own steam. The sealed pot traps every drop of moisture and aroma, producing meat of extraordinary tenderness and a concentrated gravy. The seal is broken at the table, releasing a cloud of fragrant steam. The Pashtun version is sparser than the Mughal: fewer spices, more focus on the pure flavour of the meat.

Extraordinarily tender meat, falling from the bone, in a concentrated, aromatic gravy thickened only by its own gelatin and the yogurt. The flavours are deep, pure and integrated from the long sealed cooking. The aroma when the seal breaks is unforgettable.

The technique is sealed-pot slow steaming. The meat is browned briefly, then placed in a heavy pot with a small amount of water, yogurt, ghee and whole spices. The lid is sealed with a dough of flour and water pressed around the rim, creating an airtight seal. The pot is placed on the lowest possible heat for 3 to 4 hours. During cooking, the small amount of liquid turns to steam, the steam condenses on the lid, falls back, and the cycle continues, the meat cooking in a self-contained steam environment. The sealed pot prevents any moisture or volatile aroma from escaping, concentrating everything. The dough seal is cracked at the table, the fragrant steam released. The meat is fork-tender, the gravy thick and intensely flavoured.