Lamb Chilli with Masa Harina Dumplings

Ingredients for Lamb Chilli with Masa Harina Dumplings

• 10 dried mild New Mexico chillies (2 1/2 to 90g )

• 1200ml water

• 1.5kg boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

• 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

• 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle chillies in adobo

• 180ml masa harina (corn tortilla mix)

• 30g plain flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

• 1/4 teaspoons salt

• 60g chilled lard or unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• 180ml well-shaken buttermilk

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

How to make Lamb Chilli with Masa Harina Dumplings

Simmer dried chillies in 475ml water, covered, in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until very soft, about 20 minutes. Reserve 180ml cooking liquid, then drain in a colander. Stem chillies (do not remove seeds), then purée in a blender with reserved cooking liquid until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Reserve purée.

Pat lamb dry, then sprinkle with pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat 2 tablespoons lard in a 6-quart wide heavy pot or a 3-inch-deep straight-sided skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown lamb in 4 batches (without crowding), turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining tablespoon lard to pot, then cook onion, garlic, bay leaves, and remaining 1/4 teaspoons salt over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Stir in reserved chilli purée and chipotles and simmer, stirring frequently and scraping up brown bits from bottom of pot, 5 minutes. Add lamb along with any juices accumulated in bowl and remaining 725ml water, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lamb is tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Stir together masa harina, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a bowl. Blend in lard pieces with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dough is moistened (do not overmix).

Skim fat off chilli and discard bay leaves, then drop 8 or 9 heaping tablespoons of dough onto simmering chilli, about 2 inches apart. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, covered, until tops of dumplings are dry to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with coriander.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.