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Chainaki
چاینکی (chainaki): teapot lamb with yellow split peas and onion, slow-cooked chaikhana style
In the teahouses of northern and central Afghanistan, from Mazar to the Salang road, every traveller who orders chainaki gets his own small metal teapot packed with lamb, onion, split peas and water, set in the embers beside the samovar from morning until lunch. When it is ready, the broth is poured off over torn naan in a bowl and the soft meat eaten after, with raw onion and green chilli. The taste is simple and pure: clean lamb, sweet onion, a little turmeric and pepper. Rushing it on a high flame toughens the meat and boils the broth cloudy, so the heat should be so low that the liquid only trembles. Chef's tip: a small heavy lidded casserole in a low oven gives exactly the same result as the teapot, with no risk of it boiling dry.
- Total time
- 165 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bonecut into 4 cm pieces
- 2 ⅛ oz yellow split peasrinsed
- 1 onionchopped
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 tomato (optional)chopped
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 ¾ cups water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan).
Step 2: Put 1 ¾ lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bone, 2 ⅛ oz yellow split peas, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tomato, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground black pepper and 1 ½ tsp salt into a small heavy ovenproof casserole, or divide between two ovenproof metal teapots.
Step 3: Pour in 3 ¾ cups water, bring just to a simmer on the hob over a medium heat and skim off any foam.
10 minStep 4: Cover tightly and cook in the oven for about 2½ hours, until the lamb is meltingly tender and the split peas have dissolved into the broth.
150 minStep 5: Taste for salt. Tear naan into bowls (or use rice to keep it gluten free), pour the broth over and serve the meat on the side with raw onion and green chilli.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chainaki take?
- About 165 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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