Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Shredded Lamb Sandwiches

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My pulled lamb sandwiches are an assembly of meaty and cheesy goodness consisting of shredded lamb spiced and cooked in classic Indian flavors yet packaged in such a classically American way.

For the pulled lamb I fall back on my killer talava ghost recipe. Talava ghost translates in hindi as fried meat and this lamb is nothing short of succulent and juicy. I start off by marinating boneless lamb pieces in chili powder, turmeric, salt, and quite a bit of garlic. I find the easiest and quickest way to cook the lamb is in a pressure cooker – but if you don’t have one you can of course use a crock-pot, or regular pot (it will just take longer).

I then caramelize some onions and add in the shredded meat along with some fennel powder, garam masala, and nutmeg. The fennel powder gives such a wonderful out-of-this world flavor and the onions add an underlying sweetness.

Sandwiches are incredibly versatile – so feel free to put whatever you want in them.

I opted for making something similar to a chimichurri sauce which usually consists of cilantro, parsley, garlic, and olive oil. I decided to also add some roasted serrano chilies into the chimichurri which worked wonderfully in the sandwich and gave some serious salsa vibes.

I also found these cute ancient orange peppers at the supermarket. I grilled them over the stovetop, then after they cooled – peeled off the charred bits and cut them into slices. They are colorful and sweet and balance out the meatiness of the sandwich. (If you can’t find them, you can of course use orange, yellow, or red bell peppers.)

I also decided to slow-roast the tomatoes – roasting them accentuates the flavor and is an especially great technique to utilize when you find grocery store tomatoes bland.

Okay if your mouth isn’t watering already, did I forget to mention that this sandwich is technically a grilled cheese

Oh yes. I added a few slices of mozzarella in each sandwich.

Seriously, what could be more satisfying than cutting and pulling apart layered stacks of bread oozing with cheese?

Other condiments that would work wonderfully in this sandwich are tomato chutney, mayonnaise/aioli, spicy giardiniera…mix and match whatever you fancy!

And there you have it! A fabulous meaty sandwich that will make you die and come back to life!

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Pulled Lamb Sandwiches

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 10-12 slices sandwich bread

Lamb

  • 1.5 lbs boneless lamb pieces
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 6 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 1/2 large onion (or 1 medium onion)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp fennel powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 3-4 tbsp oil

Sandwich Toppings (feel free to substitute with whatever you like)

  • 10-12 slices mozzarella/pepperjack cheese
  • 2 bell peppers (to be sliced and roasted)
  • 3 tomatoes (to be sliced and roasted)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro

Other Condiments

  • mayonnaise
  • achaar
  • giardiniera

Instructions

Shredded Lamb

  1. In a bowl, marinate your lamb. Add the turmeric, chili powder, salt, and chopped garlic and combine. Let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

  2. In the meantime, dice your onion.

  3. In your instant pot or pressure cooker, add in your oil on medium-high heat. Then add your onions and allow them to brown.

  4. Now add in your lamb with about 3/4 cup of water. Cover the lid tightly and cook for about 20-30 minutes or so. (***Cooking time may vary depending on your pressure cooker and how big your pieces of meat are.)

  5. Open the instant pot or pressure cooker. If there is water remaining, put the pressure cooker back on the stove and evaporate (if using instant pot, press sautee button). If the meat is still thick and not shredded, put the lid back on and let it cook for some more time.

  6. Add in the fennel powder, garam masala, and nutmeg. Then add in your shredded meat. Combine and cook for a few minutes. Add in a squeeze or two of lime juice.

Sandwich Toppings

  1. Oven-roasted tomatoes: Slice up your tomatoes. On a baking tray, add a little bit olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast them in the oven at 300 F for about an hour or until lightly browned.

  2. Roasted bell peppers: You can roast them either in the oven under the broiler (500 F) or on your grill pan until charred. Remove the black skin.

Assembly

  1. Take a slice of bread and spread a thin layer of achaar and/or mayo on both slices. Now add your cheese slices to both slices of bread. Now add your pulled lamb, followed by your roasted peppers, roasted tomatoes, and cilantro. Top with the other slice of bread.

  2. In your grill pan, cook sandwich until cheese has melted and both sides have nicely browned. If you don't have a panini maker, you can press down with a plate or spatula.