Serves: 4                                                                                                             Cook time: 40 Minutes

Mastawa is a rice dished cooked with lamb, yoghurt and chickpeas. It is given a lovely fragrant aroma by the orange peel added during cooking - a real hearty meal, perfect for those chilly winter evenings.

Ingredients

700g lamb on the bone, preferably shoulder

2-3 medium onions

1 tsp turmeric

1 medium/large orange, preferably Seville

450g short grain rice

500g of natural yoghurt

3-4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed

1tbs vegetable oil

1 tbs of dried dill

1 tbs of ground black pepper

1 can of chickpeas

Salt to taste 

Method

1. Place the meat cut into pieces, in a large pan with the onions. Add the turmeric and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil then cook gently until the meat is very tender and can easily be removed from the bones. 

2. While the meat is cooking, cut the orange peel into thin match style pieces, removing as much pith as possible. Leave to soak in a bowl of water. 

3. When the meat is tender, remove from the pan and when cool enough, remove the meat from the bones and shred the meat into strips with your hands. Return the meat to the pan.

4. Wash the rice and then add to the pan with salt according to taste. The juices should cover the rice by about 2cm, add more water if necessary. Bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook with the lid off, stirring from time to time until the rice is "al dente" and the liquid is absorbed. 

5. Add the natural yoghurt, and stir in well but carefully. Fry the crushed cloves of garlic in the oil and add to the dish along with the dill, black pepper, the chickpeas and extra salt to taste.

6. Mix in well, then cover the top of the pan with a clean thick cloth and the lid. Leave on a low heat for about half an hour to allow the flavours to absorb. 

Enjoy with some warm nan bread for extra comfort. 

Once you've made your stew...

We held a live conversation with three incredible Afghan women transforming food industries, discussing the role that preparing, cooking and sharing Afghan cuisine plays in cultural memory and cultivating a sense of 'home', particularly among the Afghan diaspora. Once you've made your stew, why not settle into the recording!

WATCH THE RECORDING