The secret to this curry is long, slow cooking, to develop excellent flavours, and to enjoy lamb pieces which are melt-in-your-mouth tender. This type of cooking is ideally suited to cheaper, tougher cuts of meat, such as the shoulder, neck, shank and breast of lamb; or mutton leg, neck, shoulder, and shank.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
– 1 kg boneless lamb, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
– 2 onions, finely chopped
– 1 x 5 cm piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
– 4 cloves garlic, crushed
– 30 ml coriander seeds
– 10 ml ground cumin
– 10 ml cardamom seeds
– 5 ml salt
– 5 – 7 ml chilli flakes
– 50 ml slivered almonds
– 30 g butter (30 ml)
– 15 ml sunflower oil
– 1 onion, chopped
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 30 ml tomato paste
– 500 ml natural, plain yoghurt
– 75 g sultanas (125 ml)
– 3 ml garam masala
– 100 g slivered almonds, toasted
To serve:
– Jasmine or basmati rice, mango or brinjal pickle, and mint or mango chutney, fresh coriander and 200 ml natural,
plain yoghurt.
Method:
1. Place onion, ginger, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin, cardamom, salt, chilli flakes and 50 ml almonds into a food processor or small mini chopper. Process until a paste is formed.
2. Place the lamb cubes into a large bowl or zip-lock bag. Add the paste, and mix well together. Set aside to marinate for at least one hour, or overnight.
3. Heat butter and oil in a heavy-based saucepan, over a moderate heat.
4. Add meat; brown in batches; remove from the pan, before browning the next batch.
5. Add the onion, and sauté until translucent.
6. Add in the cinnamon stick, tomato paste and yoghurt. Stir well to amalgamate. Return the meat to the pan, together with the sultanas.
7. Cover, and turn the heat very low. Cook for approximately 2½ – 3 hours. Add another 100 – 200 ml hot water, if the sauce is too thick. Stir from time to time. Check on the liquid, ensuring that the meat does not catch and burn. Add more hot water, if necessary.
8. Stir in garam masala.
9. Serve with rice, topped with a good dollop of natural yoghurt, coriander, and toasted, slivered almonds.
Tips:
• A slow cooker is ideal to cook this recipe in. Add the ingredients into the slow cooker after step 6 is complete.
Cook for approximately 5 ½ hrs.
• If using mutton, the cooking time will be slightly longer.