Soak the poppy seeds in 2 tbsp warm water for 15 minutes; grind to a paste.
Crush the ginger, garlic and half of the chillies in a mortar and pestle; keep aside.
Add the saffron to 1 tbsp lemon juice, mix and leave aside to infuse well.
In a large, heavy bottomed pan, heat ghee and add the onions; sauté till soft.
Then add the crushed ginger-garlic-chilli mixture and continue to sauté.
When the rawness of the aromatics has disappeared, add turmeric powder and season with salt. Also add the remaining whole chillies.
(The amount of chillies will need to be adjusted based on the variety used. If it’s low heat variety, then increase the quantity used)
Mix well and add the lamb pieces along with the yoghurt. Mix and cook covered on low to medium heat till half done. (Remember there is no water used to cook the lamb so stir occasionally to ensure that it’s not getting burnt. If the mixture feels too dry, add a few tbsp of water and not more.)
When the lamb is half cooked, add the remaining lemon juice. Taste and season with salt if necessary and continue to cook till the lamb is completely cooked and tender.
Finally add the coriander leaves and poppy seed paste; mix well and keep aside.