Spiced lamb and barley stew

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220 C. Mix the barley flour and salt, then add water and oil to form a shaggy dough.
2. Shape into small cakes, place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave them inside until dry enough to crumble.
3. Crush the dried cakes into coarse crumbs, keeping a few larger pieces for the final garnish.
4. Saute the diced onion in a little of the fat for about 7 minutes, until translucent. Set aside.
5. Melt a little of the fat in a large pot. Add the lamb, season with some salt and cook until it begins to brown.
6. Add the hot water, the remaining salt and the rest of the fat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Add the sauteed onion, Persian shallot, sheep milk and most of the barley crumbs. Simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Grind the garlic into a paste. Add the leek and mash it together, then stir this mixture into the stew.
9. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes, until the lamb is tender. Add more milk only if you want a looser broth.
10. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved larger barley pieces and chopped leek.