Ingredients for 6 people
1 kg leg of lamb on the bone cut to bite size pieces
4 tbsp vegetable oil and 2 tbsp olive oil
2 x large white onion thinly sliced
8 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
3 dried bay leaves
2” cinnamon stick
10 black peppercorns
3 tomatoes finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
8 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1” ginger roughly chopped
2 heaped tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder (or mild chilli powder)
4 x whole derived red Kashmiri chillis
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1 pint water
Salt to taste
4 x potato cut to chunks (optional)
Pinch of garam masala powder
slivers thinly sliced ginger
Coriander for garnish roughly chopped
Method
- Add the garlic and ginger to a blender with a splash of water and blitz to a smooth fine paste. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 25 minutes until they begin to change colour and go brown. Stir a few times through cooking making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Don’t rush this as the colour of the onions adds more flavour to the curry and also thickens the base gravy.
- Add the whole spices and fry for a further minute. Add the tomatoes and the tomato puree and stir well. Continue to soften the tomatoes for 4 minutes making sure to mash them slightly with the back of the spoon. Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir well cooking out the raw flavours for a couple of minutes. Add the coriander, chilli and turmeric powder and fry for a few seconds.
- Now add the lamb chunks, stir well coating the pieces with the spices and sealing the lamb for 10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Season to taste. Simmer on a low heat with the lid on for 50 minutes stirring half way through cooking.
- Add the potato chunks and continue to cook over a low heat with the lid on for 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and the lamb is succulent. Garnish with garam masala, slivers of ginger and fresh coriander. Serve hot with naan and salad.
