Ingredients

FOR THE STEW

• ⅓ cup neutral oil
• 2 ½ pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes 
• 2 large yellow onions, medium diced
• 2 green bell peppers, medium diced (optional)
• 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped (depending on your heat preference) 
• 1 plum tomato, medium diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste 
• 2 tablespoons of  Hawaij Masala 
• ¾ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 3 bay leaves 
• 10-12 strands of Kashmiri Saffron
• 2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and halved
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked Aranya Black Pepper

FOR THE HILBA

• 1 ½ tablespoons of Sugandhi Fenugreek, ground

FOR THE SAHAWIG

• 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 3 green chillies 
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems 
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves
• Juice of 2-3 lemons (about 1/4 cup) 
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE PIE CRUST

• Store-bought shortcrust pastry 
• 1 egg yolk (for brushing)
• Full fat plain greek yoghurt, for serving

Methods

To make the fahsa: 

1. Start with making the fahsa. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Pat-dry the meat and sear in batches, adding oil as needed, until deeply brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to a plate. 
2. Add the onions, peppers, chillies, tomato, and garlic to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. 
3. Stir in the Hawaij, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, and cook until the spices are bloomed but not burning, and tomato paste cooks slightly, about 2 minutes. 
4. Stir in the cilantro. 
5. Add 5-6 cups of water, until the meat is slightly submerged. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat till it reaches a simmer. Cook until the water has reduced by a couple of inches and the meat is starting to get very tender, about 2 ½ - 3 hours.
6. Add the potatoes, making sure to submerge them in the cooking liquid, and keep cooking until everything is tender, soft, and the meat is falling off the bones, for an additional hour. 
7. Remove the Dutch oven from the stove and, using tongs, transfer the meat and potatoes to a medium bowl, discarding the bones. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, and then use your hands or a fork to shred the meat and mash the potatoes till you make a thick mixture. Set aside. 
8. Using a coarse strainer, strain the cooking broth from the Dutch oven into a large bowl, discarding the impurities and small bones. Return the liquid to the Dutch oven and bring it back to a boil. Add the reserved meat mixture and cook until the liquid has further cooked down and thickened, and the fahsa is thick enough to put into a pie dish. (Option to add a tablespoon of cornflour or an egg yolk if the mixture is too liquid).

To make the hilba and sahawig:

1. Make the hilba. In a medium bowl, add 1 cup of cool water and sprinkle the ground fenugreek on top. Let it sit for about 20 minutes until the fenugreek has settled to the bottom of the bowl and become gelatinous.
2. Tip the water from the bowl, reserving the fenugreek. Then, using an electric whisk, whip up the fenugreek until frothy and light in color, 2-3 minutes. Set aside. (For a creamier meringue-like consistency, you can put the fenugreek bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes after whisking, and then whisk it one more time). 
3. In a small food processor, blend the ingredients for the sahawig. Fold 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the whipped fenugreek, and transfer the rest to a small bowl to serve alongside the pot pie. 

To assemble, bake and finish:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Divide the prepared pastry into two pieces. Roll each out to ¼-inch thickness with one large enough to cover the base of an 8" x 3" cake pan and come up the sides, and the second just large enough to cover and encase the top of the pie. 
3. Place the larger piece of pastry into the pan, tucking the edges and making sure it covers the sides. Then fill with the fahsa and spread the hilba on top. To seal the pie, cover with the smaller piece of pastry and tuck into the sides, pinching along the edges. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and use a pastry brush to brush the top of the pie. 
5. Transfer to the oven and bake until the pie is deeply brown and the filling is slowly bubbling, about 1½ - 2 hours. 
6. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on the counter. Cut slices directly from the pan, serve with a big dollop of yogurt and extra sahawig, and enjoy!