For this dish, the lamb is marinated, preferably overnight, before it is cooked. This ensures that the meat is tender and full of flavor. The cream is added to temper the strong combination of spices.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 4 cm (1½ inch) piece of ginger, roughly chopped
- 60 g (2 oz/¼ cup) blanched almonds
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 750 g (1 lb 10 oz) boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 40 g (1½ oz) ghee
- 7 cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 310 ml (10 fl oz/1¼ cups) cream
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- Flaked toasted almonds
Method:
Blend garlic, ginger, almonds and 50 g (1¾ oz) of the onion in a blender or food processor. If you don’t have a blender, finely chop them with a knife or grind them in a pestle and mortar. Add a little water, if necessary, to make a smooth paste, then put in a bowl with the lamb and mix thoroughly to coat the meat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours, or overnight.
Place a small frying pan over low heat, dry-roast coriander seeds until aromatic, then grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
Heat the ghee in a karhai or casserole. Add the cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick and, after a few seconds, add the remaining onion and fry until it is soft and starting to brown. Transfer the onion to a plate.
Fry the meat and the marinade in the pan until the mixture is quite dry and has started to brown a little. Add 170 ml (6 fl oz/2⁄3 cup) hot water to the pan, cover tightly and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the ground coriander, salt, cream, cayenne pepper and cooked onion to the pan, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the lamb from sticking to the pan.
Remove the cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick, then stir in the garam masala. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.
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