Spicy Indian Lamb Curry 🌶 🇮🇳

                                                                                                        

If you fancy an authentic Indian lamb curry, this is it.  It is 'spicy' as in fragrance, not 'hot' as in burning your mouth with excessive amount of chillies.  The recipe has been adapted from one I spotted on line by Veena Azmanov.  Like most Indian curries, it starts with frying whole dried spices in hot oil to release their essential oil so their flavour permeates the dish.  One spice used plentiful in this 'initiation' are green cardamom pods.  They have a distinctive, herbal, citrusy flavour that definitely enhances the taste of the lamb.  You can fish these pods out after they have done their job before serving the curry, but biting into one or two of them accidentally is not unpleasant - just give you something to think about!  While traditional Indian curries are often cooked with ghee, I don't use it often enough to keep any in my fridge so olive oil is used instead.  Once the oil has been infused by the whole dried spices, in go the aromatics, the meat, ground spices, tomatoes and yoghurt.  More or less the same drill to cook a curry from scratch.    

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 900g / 2lb lamb shoulder or leg, bone and excess fat removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil    
• 2 medium size onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 7cm / 3" knob of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 cup ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 180ml / 6fl oz Greek yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• a handful of coriander leaves, for garnishing

Whole dried spices:

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 8 cloves
• 8 green cardamom pods
• 2 black cardamom pods
• 3 bay leaves

Ground spices:

• 2 tablespoons coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder or red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

METHOD

1. Cut the lamb into 3cm / 1" cubes.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan or a balti dish to medium.  Add the whole dried spices and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds. 
3. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to colour.  Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for another minute.
4. Turn the heat to high and add the lamb.  Toss them around in the pan to brown on all sides.
5. Add the ground spices and chopped tomatoes.  Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
6. Stir in the yoghurt and ½ cup of water.  Add the salt and lemon juice.
7. Cover and let the curry simmer under low heat for about 1½ hour or until the meat is tender.  Check and stir once or twice.  Add a little water if it appears too dry.
8. When the curry is cooked, taste and adjust seasoning.  Garnish with coriander leaves.                                                                                  

Source (with adaptations): Veena Azmanov