Lamb with Tomatoes
An excellent lamb curry (in Indian cooking “curry” means a highly seasoned stew, not a particular flavor). The blend of spices is commanding but with no particular spice dominating. Serve accompanied with the Radish Chutney, rice, and a refreshing raita.
An excellent lamb curry (in Indian cooking “curry” means a highly seasoned stew, not a particular flavor). The blend of spices is commanding but with no particular spice dominating. Serve accompanied with the Radish Chutney, rice, and a refreshing raita.
Yield:
Serves 6 to 8.Ingredients
2 to 3 pounds boned lamb
Olive oil as needed (about 1/3 cup)
4 onions, peeled and chopped
Salt to taste
4 to 5 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 to 3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root (about 1-inch piece of peeled root)
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon fennel
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Seeds from 4 large black cardamom pods (crush pods to remove seeds; discard pods)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 tablespoon dried mint
1 handful chopped fresh coriander (cilantro or Chinese parsley)
Instructions
Trim fat from lamb; cut into chunks. Heat about 1/4 inch olive oil in a large heavy kettle and add lamb pieces, stirring to brown well. Remove lamb chunks to a large bowl and add onions to remaining olive oil in kettle. Salt well. When onions are soft and golden, remove from oil with a slotted spoon and add to lamb. Stew tomatoes and garlic in remaining oil, adding a little more oil if needed. Add curry powder, fresh ginger root, cloves, fennel, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom seeds, ground cumin, ground coriander, and mint, and stir well. Return lamb and onions to kettle and mix well. Cover and let simmer until lamb and spices are well cooked. Then, add fresh coriander.
