Qiyma chigirtma - Lamb with eggs

Text size:  

Qiyma chigirtma (qiymə çığırtma) is an Azerbaijani dish of minced lamb or mutton cooked with eggs.

The word chigirtma (çığırtma) in the name of a dish means that it has been set in beaten egg.

Preparation time: 30-40 mins
Cooking time: 40 min
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 175 g/7 oz mutton or lamb
• 1 small onion
• 25 g/1 oz melted butter
• 2 eggs
• a few sprigs of dill
• a few threads of saffron
• salt & pepper

Preparation

• Put a few threads of saffron in a cup and add boiling water. Cover and leave to infuse.
• Mince the meat together with the onion.
• Add salt & pepper and the saffron infusion.
• Brown the mince in butter in a heavy-bottomed frying pan or casserole dish if you are going to bake the chigirtma in the oven.
• Beat the eggs and pour onto the mince.
• Cover the mince and cook over a medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the lid once the eggs have set. Or cover the casserole dish and bake in an oven preheated to 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 20 to 30 minutes. Again, remove the lid once the eggs have set.
• Garnish with chopped herbs. Serve with rice or bread.