Peshawari classic · Sealed and slow
Dum Pukht Recipe (Peshawari Sealed Pot Mutton)
Fatty mutton. Seal tight. No water.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenDum pukht from Peshawar is mutton cooked sealed in a pot with its own fat, salt and pepper, so the meat steams in its juices until it falls apart. It turns dry when the seal leaks or the meat is lean. The fix is fatty bone-in mutton, a dough or foil seal, and a long cook on the lowest heat with a tawa underneath.
The 3 laws of dum pukht
Why this recipe works
Lean
Self-basting.
Loose lid
Steam stays in.
Medium
Tender, not burnt.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Dum pukht
The NineFoods dum pukht gauge
Is it done?
Open and press a piece.
Method · 2 stages
Step by step
Season
- Rub mutton with salt and pepper; layer with onion, garlic and fat in a heavy pot.
Seal and cook
- Seal lid with dough, place on a tawa and cook on the lowest heat. Use the gauge above.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Lean meat or leak.
Fix next time
Fatty meat; tight seal.
Why
No tawa.
Fix next time
Use a tawa.
Why
Short cook.
Fix next time
Cook longer.
Why
Little salt.
Fix next time
Season well.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Mutton | Main | Lamb leg |
| Dough seal | Seal | Foil and heavy lid |
| Tail fat | Richness | Ghee |
| Oven | Method | Sealed at 150 C for 3 hours |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Naan and kahwa.
Store
Fridge 3 days.
Reheat
Covered, low.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 2 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is it done) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Dum Pukht FAQ
What is dum pukht?
Meat slow cooked in a sealed pot in its own juices.
Does dum pukht use water?
No, the meat cooks in its own juices.
Can I cook it in the oven?
Yes, sealed at 150 C for about 3 hours.
Is it spicy?
No, only salt and pepper.