Ground Lamb with Braised Black Radishes
This deeply nourishing dish blends rich, grounding lamb with slightly spicy black radishes, an unsung hero for liver support. Cooked in ghee with Ayurvedic spices, it’s perfect for early spring, when we’re shifting from the heaviness of winter into a lighter, clearer rhythm. Balanced, bold, and surprisingly easy.
why this recipe is good for us:
1. Lamb:
From an Ayurvedic lens, lamb is strengthening, nourishing, and deeply building. It supports the production of ojas (vital life essence), making it ideal when you’re depleted, recovering, or transitioning between seasons. It pacifies vata and balances kapha when cooked with warming spices.
2. Black Radish:
A classic kapha-reducing vegetable, black radish has a pungent and slightly bitter taste that stimulates the liver and gallbladder, promoting bile flow and clearing stagnation. It’s excellent for springtime detox and reducing mental fog or emotional heaviness.
3. Cumin Seeds:
Cumin is one of Ayurveda’s top digestive spices, known for kindling agni (digestive fire) without overheating. It relieves gas, supports assimilation, and adds a grounding warmth to meals, especially important in the cool, damp early spring season.
Ground Lamb with Braised Black Radishes
Serves: 2-4 | Total Time: 35 minutes
This recipe is grounding, warming, and perfect for early spring, a time when we’re still clearing out winter’s heaviness, but starting to wake up. Lamb supports vitality and tissue strength, while black radish helps the liver release stagnant bile. Basically, it’s sexy Ayurvedic detox food.
Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp ghee or sesame oil
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 bunch black radishes (about 4 small or 2 medium to large), scrubbed and chunked
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ½ cup bone broth
• Chopped fresh parsley or mint to finish
Instructions:
Heat ghee or oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Cook 1 minute.
Add lamb and brown, breaking it up as it cooks, 6–8 minutes.
Stir in black radishes and bone broth. Cover and simmer on low for 15–20 minutes, or until radishes are tender and sweet.
Remove lid and cook a few more minutes to reduce any excess liquid.
Top with fresh herbs and serve warm, maybe over a little sautéed spinach or a simple cauliflower mash.
