Lamb Masala Recipe
 Whole spices are used in this curry so
remove them before serving or warn the diners of their presence in
advance! Lamb Masala is delicious served with freshly baked naan bread or
with a rice accompaniment and a cool cucumber raita. This dish is best
made with good-quality spring lamb. Alternatively, you can also replace
the lamb with cubes of braising or stewing beef for a hearty warming winter
dish all the family will enjoy.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
75 ml/5 tablespoons corn oil
2 onions, chopped
5 ml/1 teaspoon shredded ginger
6 whole dried red chilies
3 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
6 black peppercorns
3 cloves
2.5 ml/0.5 teaspoon salt
450 g/1 lb boned leg of lamb, cubed
600 ml/1 pint/2.5 cups water
2 fresh green chilies, sliced
30 ml/2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
(cilantro)
Rice or naan bread, to serve
Method:
Heat the oil in a large pan. Lower the heat
slightly and cook the onions until they are lightly browned. Add half the
ginger and half the garlic and stir well. Throw in half the red chilies,
the cardamoms, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and salt.
Add the lamb and cook over a medium heat.
Stir constantly with a semi-circular movement, using a wooden spoon to
scrape the base of the pan. Continue in this way for about 5 minutes. Pour
in the water, cover the stew with a lid and cook it over a medium-low heat
for 35-40 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the meat is
tender.
Add the rest of the shredded ginger, sliced
garlic and the whole dried red chilies, along with the sliced fresh green
chilies and the chopped fresh coriander. Continue to stir over the heat
until you see some free oil on the sides of the pan. Transfer to a serving
dish and serve immediately with fresh naan bread or boiled rice.
Note: The action of stirring the meat
and spices together using a semi-circular motion is called bhoono-ing. It
makes sure that the meat becomes well-coated and combined with the spice
mixture before the cooking liquid is added.
Happy Cooking,
Carol |
