History of Dumpukht دم پخت
The term etymologically derives from Persia. Dum means 'to keep food on slow fire - and (cooked in steam) and pukht means 'process of cooking', thus meaning 'cooking on slow fire'. The method often requires over night or long hours cooking times.
Slow cooking is a cooking technique associated Turks, Persian or Central Asian invaders in which meat and vegetables are cooked over a low flame, generally in dough-sealed containers with few spices.
Present day in Baluchistan, some part of Iran, Afghanistan, north India and Kashmir doing the same patterns of cooking not only in the variety of cuisine but also in the ingredients used like mutton, Desi ghee, spices including cardamom and saffron.
Dumpukht originate
Dum cooking entered India by way of Persia some 400 years ago, brought into the country by Muslim settlers. This culinary style allows for meat, coated with fresh spices and herbs, to slow cook in its own juices, retaining moisture and retaining its succulent flavor and nutrients.
The Persian Dumpukht cooking literally means air-cooked (baked) and written in kings Akbar book Ain-i-Akbari.
Lately assign its origin in pre-partition India to the reign of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah (1748–97) and. The technique is now commonly used in other cuisines such as Pakistani and North Indian Bangladeshi cooking.
Second stories behind its origin are countless, the one story that is popular amongst the masses is associated with Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daulah. The Wazir of Awadh introduced a charity theme for his people during the great famine of 1784. The Nawab wanted to build an architectural marvel and wanted manpower for it. The famine had left the people with the need for food and money hence, many people joined to work for the Nawab’s initiative. At the end of every day, the Nawab served the workers with a dish made of rice, meat and vegetables which were cooked in a vessel sealed with dough for hours. The dish was filling, wholesome, and delicious as well. One day during his regular rounds, the Nawab came across the aroma of the same dish and couldn’t resist himself. He immediately ordered his Khansamas to prepare the same dish for him.
Slow Cooking
Since it is a slow-cooked meat recipe, it will take around 3-4 hours. On the other hand, the meat is un-marinated, and there are no ground spices or strong powdered masala. On top of it, the Balochi Dumpukht needs to be cooked on low heat. It is because intense heat will burn the meat. In that case, the recipe will require substantial time to prepare. While cooking char coal that can last more than three to four hours. See that the red hot coal doesn’t catch the flame. Since it is slow cooking, the heat of coal is enough. We don’t need a high flame. After all, slow cooking uniformly integrates flavors into the meat.
Dumpukht cooking pots
Dumpukht cooking uses a round, heavy-bottomed pot, preferably a handi (clay pot), cooper or bronze in which food is sealed and cooked over a slow fire. The two main aspects to this style of cooking are bhuna and dum, or 'roasting' and 'maturing' of a prepared dish. In this cuisine, herbs and spices are important. The process of slow roasting gently allows each to release their maximum flavor. The sealing of the lid of the handi with sealed dough achieves maturing. Cooking slowly in its juices, the food retains its natural aromas.
In some cases, cooking dough is spread over the edge of container, like a lid, to seal the foods, this is known as pardah (veil).
Even quality non-stick utensils will work, provided they survive heat for long hours.
Dumpukht Cooking Technique
Moreover, the cooking process is also pretty straightforward. Put all the ingredients in a cooking pot and allow it to cook on low heat for 2-3 hours. The reasons why it is called slow-cooked afghani Dumpukht.
Generally, traditional dum pukht is cooked using potato, onion, tomato, garlic, green chillies, etc. However, those who add unnecessary ingredients or cook this recipe differently don’t know what dum pukht is.
For instance, people pour ghee over the final recipe to enrich the flavour. It doesn’t require adding ghee at any point.
Can it cook on a gas stove
Yes, you can cook this recipe on a gas stove if you don’t have a brick stove. Keep the flame low. Rest everything is the same.
Selection of fuel – fuel also plays an important role in dum cooking because the food should be cooked on low heat and charcoal is the most preferred option.
Selection of Commodities – there are lots of ingredients which are required in dum cooking like, deshi ghee or oil, cloves, fennel, saffron, mace, cardamom, etc. and mutton is the preferred meat in dum cooking.
Selection of Commodities – there are lots of ingredients which are required in dum cooking like, deshi ghee or oil, cloves, fennel, saffron, mace, cardamom, etc. and mutton is the preferred meat in dum cooking.
Health Profile of Dumpukht
According to nutritionists, slow cooking is a low fat, healthier method of cooking, which requires minimum amount of effort. One can add all the ingredients at the same time and doesn’t need to add any oil as long as there is enough moisture.
Slow heat not only enhances the flavors but also increases the bioavailability of nutrients in plant foods.
Slow cooked meat with the bone provides our body with a rich contribution of collagen, gelatin and minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, phosphate & magnesium.
Traditionally Balochi Dumpukht
First thing first, Dumpukht is cooked without cooking oil.
Authentic Dumpukht is made using the fat and the meat of either goat or dumba (Turki bakra). The fat is placed at the bottom of the cooking Pat. Due to this, the fat immediately comes in contact with the heat before other items. As a result, the fat melts and converts into oil which further aids in the cooking process – the reason why there’s no cooking oil in this recipe.
Authentic Dumpukht Recipe
2 kgs Mutton/Lamb Preferably leg
1 kg Mutton/Lamb Fat
5 Tomatoes Cut in 4s
4 Medium Onions
6 Potatoes
6 Green Chilies
2 Medium Lemons
8 Garlic Cloves
3" Ginger Piece
1.5 tbsp Black Pepper Powder
Salt As per your taste
1 kg Flour To seal the lid of the dish
Instructions
Take a deep pot. Layer the goat fat (Charbi) at the bottom. Now make a layer of the mutton pieces on top of it.
Set the veggies above it and squeeze the lemon juice over it. Sprinkle the salt and pepper powder over it. Do not mix. Leave it as it is.
Now take the maida mix to make the dough. Keep the water less so that it holds the lid properly. Now place the dough over the borders of the pot and cover it with lid. Again put the dough over the lid and pack it properly so that the air doesn’t leak.
Cook on high heat for about 10 minutes and then lower the heat. Leave it to cook for another 2 to 3 hours. You will hear a whistle like sound and hot air will leak from it.
After 3 hours remove the lid and your Afghani Dumpukht or Slow Cooked Afghani Mutton is ready to serve. You can have it raw or with rice. Mutton will be cooked perfectly and will be very tender. You will love eating it.
Taste of Dumpukht
The final dish has a mild taste from a variety of ingredients. For instance, the dish has mixed salty, peppery and mildly spicy flavors. But, all in all, should be ala Nage type.
Nutritional value
The new age gastronomical experts believe that since slow cooker uses minimum liquids and involves very little evaporation, the outcome is not just delicious but also nutritionally rich.
In fact heat, also affects the biological value of proteins, it may destroy certain amino acids. Slow Cooking meat with the bone provides our body with rich source of collagen, gelatine and minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, phosphate & magnesium. Gelatine mainly has many health benefits as it supports our liver function, digestion, muscles, skin & hair growth. In short, this process provides you with more nutrition, warding off diseases and helping you live longer.
Famous Dumpukht dishes
Dum Biryani the one-pot dish of aromatic spices and delightful flavours, is perhaps the most famed of the Dumpukht dishes. This style of cooking, traditionally known as dum pukht, is of course not just restricted to biryanis, but various other preparations such as korma, nihari, haleem, raan, other meat curries and also dal.
Whole Lamb Raan – to make raan you have to marinate a whole leg of lamb with ginger garlic paste, salt, chili powder, aromatic spices and left for few hours. Tenderizing agents like raw papaya paste, vinegar, hung curd can also be used, adding saffron and nut pastes will help to enhance the taste of raan. Later the raan will be seared on a hot plate just to give color and finally cooked on dum.
Dum Biryani – Biryani is a fragrant preparation of rice and meat or vegetables, there are two major forms of biryani kacchi and pakki. The meat used in kacchi Biryani is completely raw but it needs to be marinated for at least 6 to 9 hours so that it will cook faster.
Marinated meat pieces and parboiled rice are arranged in layers and add mint leaves, brown onion, saffron water with every layer. Now cover and seal the lagan or deg to allow cooking in its own juices. Pakki biryani is also made in the same way, instead of raw meat we will use cooked meat.
Nehari is a very popular breakfast dish during the days of Ramdan, it’s eaten with sheermal and bakharkhani. Originally nehari is made with beef but lamb nehari is much popular in India.
Braised lamb pieces are dum cooked by adding trotters stock to it. The consistency of the nehari should not be thick because it will be served with sheermal and bakharkhani.
Dum Aloo it is a Kashmiri dish and usually made on occasions. In this medium-size round potatoes (anda aloo) are deep-fried and cooked on yogurt gravy that is flavored with red chili powder, fennel seeds, black cardamom, asafoetida and then cooked on dum for few hours.
Dum Biryani – Biryani is
a fragrant preparation of rice and meat or vegetables, there are two major
forms of biryani kacchi and pakki. The meat used in kacchi
Biryani is completely raw but it needs to be marinated for at least 6 to 9
hours so that it will cook faster.
Marinated meat pieces and parboiled rice are arranged in layers and add mint
leaves, brown onion, saffron water with every layer. Now cover and seal the
lagan or deg to allow cooking in its own juices. Pakki biryani is also
made in the same way, instead of raw meat we will use cooked meat.
Nehari is a very popular
breakfast dish during the days of Ramdan, it’s eaten with sheermal and
bakharkhani. Originally nehari is made with beef but lamb nehari is much
popular in India.
Braised lamb pieces are dum cooked by adding trotters stock to it. The
consistency of the nehari should not be thick because it will be served with
sheermal and bakharkhani.
Dum Aloo it is a Kashmiri dish and
usually made on occasions. In this medium-size round potatoes (anda aloo)
are deep-fried and cooked on yogurt gravy that is flavored with red chili
powder, fennel seeds, black cardamom, asafoetida and then cooked on dum for few
hours.
Dum Biryani – Biryani is
a fragrant preparation of rice and meat or vegetables, there are two major
forms of biryani kacchi and pakki. The meat used in kacchi
Biryani is completely raw but it needs to be marinated for at least 6 to 9
hours so that it will cook faster.
Marinated meat pieces and parboiled rice are arranged in layers and add mint
leaves, brown onion, saffron water with every layer. Now cover and seal the
lagan or deg to allow cooking in its own juices. Pakki biryani is also
made in the same way, instead of raw meat we will use cooked meat.
Nehari is a very popular
breakfast dish during the days of Ramdan, it’s eaten with sheermal and
bakharkhani. Originally nehari is made with beef but lamb nehari is much
popular in India.
Braised lamb pieces are dum cooked by adding trotters stock to it. The
consistency of the nehari should not be thick because it will be served with
sheermal and bakharkhani.
Dum Aloo it is a Kashmiri dish and
usually made on occasions. In this medium-size round potatoes (anda aloo)
are deep-fried and cooked on yogurt gravy that is flavored with red chili
powder, fennel seeds, black cardamom, asafoetida and then cooked on dum for few
hours.
Korma
Haleem
Daal Makhni
Hareesa
Dhanshiq
Serving Dumpukht
It is very
important to serve dum food in its proper way because the guest should feel the
difference of dum cooking. The authentic way of serving it is, the food must be
opened in front of the guest but it might not be possible in the buffet, in a
la carte you can prepare portions of dum cooked food in small clay pots and
cook on dum again. These small clay pots are possible to open in front of
the guests.
Serve it hot
and eat it as it is without chapati or rice. However, you can serve it with
chapati or rice, but I recommend eating without them. Try it.
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