This is a super easy recipe for Lamb Chahonbili, given that you are short on time and have some fresh lamb, too. This dish yields some very tender meat and a rich taste of kabob seared in skillet.
This recipe was a staple in my dad’s menu of foods he could cook. Although he can work wonders in the kitchen, I distinctly remember this dish from my childhood, as we adored it! When he asked for ideas for dinner we would gladly request Chahonbili. My daddy was an amazing engineer for most of his life and his fondest memories were from the times he traveled a lot within the 15 republics of the USSR. I believe he learned to make this dish in Georgia, which was one of the 15 republics. He often used very fresh cut of the lamb, new from the butchers shop. A-h-mazing!
Researching about this dish now, I see that it is made with game birds and chicken for protein. It also has a lot more ingredients. But I grew up with the lamb version and still love making it. So, I decided to go along with my dad’s version and introduce you to his Chahonbili. I will most definitely try the original some day. Meanwhile, you are welcome to experiment with this one. Err on the side of caution, this food is very rich and is fried in a lot of oil. But I always skim the oil out before serving it. it also calls for lots of onion. During the process of frying, onions tend to dissolve. So, adding a lot of it ensures that you have enough caramelized onions to complement the lamb. It is indeed the key for the success of this recipe. Please do not over-fry the onions. They need to be enough cooked to have the caramelized effect but should not turn too try.
Ingredient:
- 1 lb of fresh lamb meat
- 2 large onions
- 1/2 Tbsp dried coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-1/2 cups of oil of your choice to fry
Directions:
Choice of oil: For high temperature frying I always go with oils which can withstand the heat and not break down during the frying/sauteing process. It will either be avocado oil, coconut oil (not always ideal for the consistency I am trying to achieve) or clarified butter (mostly in Ghee form). Ghee gives a splendid taste to a lot of things, but this recipe for Chahonbili is not an ideal candidate for it. So, I went with avocado oil.
Wash the lamb and dry out with a paper towel. Cut the meat in 2×2 inch cubes. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the meat. On high heat fry the meat until it is no longer pink and shows the signs of caramelization.
Place coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and gently pound with a pestle to release the aroma of the spices. If you do not have a mortar, just give the spices a roll with a rolling pin or crush the spices between your two palms, using a circular motion. It is a little painful, but still works. Add the spices to the meat and fry the meat for another 2 minutes.
Divide whole onions in the middle and cut them thinly. Add the onions to the meat and give everything a nice stir.
Regulate the heat down to medium and fry the onions until translucent and slightly golden. You can also briefly put a lid over the skillet to let the juices mingle and cook the meat. At this time onions will release all the juices and start turning dry. That’s when your food is ready.
Add the salt and black pepper depending on your tolerance level. My husband likes food with very little or no salt. I on the other hand like to keep it in a balance for my taste buds. You decide on yours :D Before serving Chahonbili, please discard the extra oil.
Enjoy this delicious entree over rice or a carbs of your choice. You can also eat this over sauteed vegetables, which is equally delicious!
Lamb Chahonbili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb of fresh lamb meat
- 2 large onions
- 1/2 Tbsp dried coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of oil of your choice to fry
Instructions
- DIRECTIONS:
- Choice of oil: For high temperature frying I always go with oils which can withstand the heat and not break down during the frying/sauteing process. It will either be avocado oil, coconut oil (not always ideal for the consistency of which I am trying to achieve) or clarified butter (mostly in Ghee form). Ghee gives a splendid taste to a lot of things, but this recipe for Chahonbili is not an ideal candidate for it. So, I went with avocado oil.
- Wash the lamb and dry out with a paper towel. Cut the meat in 2×2 inch cubes. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the meat. On high heat fry the meat until it is no longer pink and shows the signs of caramelization.
- Place coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and gently pound with a pestle to release the aroma of the spices. If you do not have a mortar, just give the spices a roll with a rolling pin or crush the spices between your two palms, using a circular motion. It is a little painful, but still works. Add the spices to the meat and fry the meat for another 2 minutes.
- Divide whole onions in the middle and cut them thinly. Add the onions to the meat and give everything a nice stir.
- Regulate the heat down to medium and fry the onions until translucent and slightly golden. You can also put a lid over the skillet briefly to let the juices mingle and cook the meat. At this time onions will release all the juices and start turning dry. That’s when your food is ready. Add the salt and black pepper depending on your tolerance level. My husband likes food with very little or no salt. I on the other hand like to keep it in a balance for my taste buds. You decide on yours :D Before serving Chahonbili, please discard the extra oil.
- Enjoy this delicious entree over rice or a carbs of your choice. You can also eat this over sauteed vegetables, which is equally delicious!
Lola privet! Spasibo za recepty, oooochen vyglyadit vkusno, hochetsya kazhdyi poprobyvat sdelat. Ya s myzhem vmeste smotrim vashi recepty, I v poslednee vremya nachali gotovit uzbekskuyu edu. Zavtra sobiraemsya sdelat lagman po vashem receptu;) Eshio moi muzh hotel u vas sprosit, mozhet vy znaete gde tut v amerike mozhno preobresti kurdyuchniy zhyr..?