Nihari Puff Pastry Pot Pie with Lemon-Chilli Yogurt

Method

1. Heat the ghee in a 20 cm pot over medium-high heat, add the dried beef and brown it for 7 min, turning, until browned all over.

   Add in this stepBoneless beef shank, in 3 cm pieces 400 gGhee or vegetable oil 2 tbsp

   medium-high heat

2. Lower to medium heat, add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 7 min until the onion is soft. Add the garam masala, fennel, Kashmiri chilli, turmeric and salt and fry for 1 min more, until fragrant.

   Add in this stepOnion (medium) 1Garlic cloves 3Fresh ginger, grated 12 gGaram masala 1 tspGround fennel seeds 1 tspKashmiri chilli powder 1 tspGround turmeric ¼ tspSalt 1 tsp

   medium heat

3. Pour in the water, bring to the boil over high heat for 6 min, then cover, turn down to low heat and simmer for 2 h, until the meat falls apart easily with a fork.

   Add in this stepWater 800 ml

   high heat→low heat

4. Break the meat into chunky shreds with a fork, sprinkle over the flour and stir, then cook over medium heat for 4 min, stirring, until it is as thick as a stew; a runny filling makes soggy pastry. Take off the heat and cool for 15 min. Hot filling melts the butter in the pastry and stops it rising.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 1½ tbsp

   medium heat

5. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Spoon the cooled filling into ovenproof dishes (2 × 12 cm). Cut puff pastry circles 2 cm wider than the dishes, lay them on top and press the edges to seal. Cut a small slit in the centre for steam, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with nigella seeds.

   Add in this stepFrozen puff pastry, thawed 160 gEgg (for egg wash) 1Nigella seeds (kalonji) ½ tsp

6. Set the dishes on a baking tray and bake in the oven at 200 °C for 22 min, until the pastry is tall, deep golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.

   oven

7. Mix the yogurt with lemon juice, chopped coriander and finely chopped chilli for the dip. Let the pies cool for 5 minutes so the filling isn't scalding, then serve with the dip.

   Add in this stepPlain yogurt 100 gLemon ½Fresh coriander (cilantro) 5 gHot green chilli 1