Lamb Bughlama

Pat dry bone-in lamb or lamb with a good layer of fat, and cut into 4–5 cm pieces; don't sear the surface, since bughlama cooks in its own juices.

Place the lamb on the bottom of a thick-walled pot, season with salt and black pepper. If the meat is lean, add some butter.

Slice the onion into half-rings, cut the bell pepper into wide strips, and slice the tomatoes into rounds or large wedges.

Layer the onion evenly over the lamb, then the bell pepper, and top with the tomatoes; lightly salt each vegetable layer.

Pour in the water, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low and let the bughlama simmer for 90 minutes without stirring or opening the lid unnecessarily; the vegetables will release their juices and the lamb will become tender.

Finely chop the cilantro, add it to the finished dish, gently stir it in with the meat and vegetables, and let stand covered for 5 minutes.

Serve the bughlama hot, along with the juices formed in the pot.