Uzbek Dimlama (Slow-Cooked Meat and Vegetables)

About This Recipe

Dimlama is Uzbekistan's most hands-off dish and its most magical — layers of meat and vegetables sealed in a heavy pot, cooked entirely in their own steam and juices with no added water. The result is an intensely concentrated, incredibly flavorful stew where every ingredient retains its shape but has given its essence to the collective. Made in spring when new potatoes, onions, and lamb are at their best.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 700 gbone-in lamb, cut into large pieces
• 300 glamb or beef fat (or use fatty lamb cuts)
• 4 mediumonions, sliced into rings
• 4 mediumpotatoes, halved
• 4 mediumcarrots, halved
• 1 mediumcabbage head, cut into wedges
• 4 mediumtomatoes, halved
• 1 mediumbell pepper, sliced
• 1 tspcumin
• 1 tspcoriander
• 1 tspsalt
• fresh dillto garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Layer the pot

   Place fat or fatty lamb pieces on the bottom of a heavy pot. Layer lamb pieces on top. Season with half the salt, cumin, and coriander.

2. 2

   Continue layering

   Add onion rings, then carrots, then tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage wedges, and bell pepper. Season each layer with remaining salt and spices.

3. 3

   Seal completely

   Place a sheet of foil tightly over the pot, then put the lid on firmly to create a complete seal. No steam should escape.

4. 4

   Cook

   Cook over very low heat for 90 minutes. Do not open during cooking — the steam inside does all the work.

5. 5

   Serve

   Open carefully (steam will escape). The vegetables should be very tender in a rich, concentrated cooking liquid. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve from the pot.

Variations

• •

  Add quince in autumn for sweetness

• •

  Include eggplant in summer

• •

  Use a Dutch oven in the oven at 160°C for 2 hours

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheats beautifully.

Frequently Asked Questions