Pat the lamb dry and season lightly with salt. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, turmeric, white pepper, black pepper and 7-spice. Coat the lamb generously in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.

Grind the saffron threads using a small mortar and pestle. Combine with the rosewater and boiling water. Stir and leave to infuse while you prepare the lamb.

Heat a generous drizzle of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed or cast-iron pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear the lamb until deeply browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add a little more oil if needed, followed by the sliced onions. Cook until soft and golden, scraping up the browned bits from the base of the pot as the onions cook. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

Return the lamb to the pot. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, honey, saffron and rosewater infusion and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 60–90 minutes, or until the lamb is almost completely tender. Add a little more hot water during cooking if needed.

Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the soaked and drained yellow split peas and cook until partially tender but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside.

Wash the quince well, quarter and remove the cores. Cut into evenly sized bite-sized pieces. Heat a little vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the quince and sauté, turning occasionally, until lightly golden. Add a small splash of water, cover and cook briefly until the quince begins to soften but still holds its shape. Remove from the heat.

Once the lamb is tender, add the sautéed quince, aloo Bukhara and parboiled split peas. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and gently stir to combine. Cover and simmer over low heat for approximately 30 minutes, until the quince is tender, the split peas are cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Stir gently to avoid breaking apart the quince.

Add the lemon juice and taste. Adjust with additional sugar, lemon juice or salt as needed. The finished Khoresht-e Beh should have a balanced sweet-and-sour flavour.

Simmer uncovered for a final 2–5 minutes, or until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with almond slivers. Serve warm with steamed Persian rice.