Entree: Azerbaijan – Azeri Northwest – Govurma (Sautéed and gently braised lamb pieces cooked with onions and aromatics until tender)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 10 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 3 tbsp (45 g) lamb tallow or clarified butter, or unsalted butter if unavailable
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) water or light beef/chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, or to taste
- 3/4 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- Optional: 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) sunflower oil if needed for frying

Instructions

1. Pat the lamb cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the lamb tallow or butter in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, sear the lamb until deeply browned on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per batch; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook slowly until they are very soft and golden, about 12–15 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, ground coriander and cumin; cook 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavors. Return the lamb to the pot, add the bay leaf and pour in the water or stock to come about halfway up the meat.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise over low heat for 50–60 minutes, or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has reduced to a glossy coating. Stir occasionally and add a splash more water if the pot dries out.
5. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and chopped cilantro or parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
6. Serve hot over plov (pilaf) or with flatbread, spooning the rich juices and onions over the rice or bread.