TIP
Crush cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar or by pressing with a teaspoon on a chopping board.
Lamb Korma
Korma is one of the mildest curries and therefore ideal for those who don't like their food too spicy - a good way of introducing children to Indian food. Like many kormas, this one contains ground almonds which make a rich and thick creamy sauce. Garam masala and thick yoghurt are stirred in at the end of cooking to add the perfect finishing touch. Serve with a dhal or Lemon-scented Rice to counteract the richness.
Serves 4
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
700 g/1½ lb lean lamb, trimmed and cut into cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped, or 60 ml/4 tbsp frozen diced onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
10 ml/2 tsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
50 g/2 oz/½ cup ground almonds
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup very hot (not boiling) lamb or vegetable stock
3 green cardamom pods, split
5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin
5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander
2.5 ml/½ tsp mild chilli powder
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
2.5 ml/½ tsp caster (superfine) sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2.5 ml/½ tsp garam masala
60 ml/4 tbsp thick plain yoghurt or single (light) cream
TIP
Bags of frozen diced onion are a great freezer standby as you can simply tip out what you need and return the rest to the freezer.
Indian Lamb with Spiced Lentils
This dhansak-style lamb curry has a wonderful fragrance and, although it is a little time-consuming to prepare, it's worth grinding your own spices to achieve this. The dish contains green lentils which unlike red lentils keep their shape during the long slow cooking.
Serves 4
225 g/8 oz/1¼ cups green lentils
Seeds from 8 green cardamom pods
15 ml/1 tbsp cumin seeds
4 black peppercorns
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
1 large onion, sliced, or 60 ml/ 4 tbsp frozen diced onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
30 ml/2 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
5 ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of dried red chilli or 5 ml/1 tsp red chilli purée (paste)
450 g/1lb lean boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into cubes
600 ml/1 pint/2½ cups very hot (not boiling) lamb stock
6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
15 ml/1 tbsp fresh or bottled lemon juice
45 ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh or frozen coriander (cilantro)
VARIATION
This curry is equally good made with beef, but it would need a slightly longer cooking time.
Aromatic Lamb
Known as Kashmiri tamatari ghosht, this is a mild dish with fragrant spices including cinnamon, cloves and fresh ginger. Relatively low in fat, it already contains potatoes, so there's no need to serve it with anything else - although some steamed green beans or warmed Indian bread such as naan, would make a great accompaniment.
Serves 4
15 ml/1 tbsp sunflower oil
5 ml/1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, thinly sliced, or 45 ml/ 3 tbsp frozen diced onion
5 ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
3 whole cloves
5 ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
700 g/1½ lb lean boneless lamb, cut into chunks
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)
10 ml/2 tsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
2 large potatoes, about 450 g/1 lb, peeled and cut into chunks
400 g/14 oz/large can chopped tomatoes
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups hot (not boiling) lamb or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
TIP
As the lamb is cooked slowly, you can use any cut of meat.
Lamb Dopiaza
Dopiaza broadly translates as 'two onions' or 'double onions' and some versions of this recipe use twice the weight of onions to meat. Others, like here, use the onions both as a paste and as a finishing garnish of golden fried onions.
Serves 4
3 large onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
30 ml/2 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
5 ml/1 tsp cumin seeds
5 ml/1 tsp coriander seeds
5 ml/1 tsp black mustard seeds
1.5-2.5 ml/¼-½ tsp crushed dried chillies
200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup lamb or vegetable stock, or water
30 ml/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted (sweet) butter
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
700 g/1½ lb lean diced lamb
2.5 ml/½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup thick plain yoghurt
4 whole cloves
4 green cardamom pods, split
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 ml/1 tsp garam masala
TIP
The whole spices are always left in the curry, to be removed by the diners, so don't forget to mention this when serving.
Rogan Josh
This well-known lamb curry gets its rich red colour from the combination of spices and other ingredients it contains, including dried red chillies, paprika and a good spoonful of tomato purée. There are many different versions of this dish; this one is very simple and uses ready-made curry paste rather than a huge range of whole and ground spices.
Serves 4
30ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
700 g/1½ lb lean diced lamb
2 onions, chopped, or 90 ml/6 tbsp frozen diced onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
45 ml/3 tbsp Madras curry paste
10 ml/2 tsp paprika
6 green cardamom pods, split
4 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup very hot (not boiling) lamb or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2.5 ml/½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
175 ml/6 fl oz/¾ cup thick plain yoghurt
TIP
Keep curry paste in the fridge once opened and use before the use-by date for the best flavour.
Lamb Parsi
This is a similar dish to biryani, but here the lamb is marinated in yoghurt, a traditional technique in Parsi cuisine which makes the meat beautifully moist and tender. This is my adaptation of a conventionally cooked dish and it works extremely well.
Serves 4
2.5 ml/½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
10 ml/2 tsp ground cumin
5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander
5 ml/1 tsp cayenne pepper
10 ml/2 tsp garam masala
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups Greek-style yoghurt
700 g/1½ lb lean lamb, trimmed and diced
30 ml/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted (sweet) butter
15 ml/1 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
1 large onion, sliced, or 60 ml/ 4 tbsp frozen diced onion
350 g/12 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400 ml/14 fl oz/1¾ cups hot (not boiling) lamb or vegetable stock
350 g/12 oz/1½ cups basmati rice
TIP
With this type of dish, cooking the rice separately, then stirring it into the finished dish, ensures the grains stay fluffy.
Spicy Lamb with Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are grown in many parts of India and their flavour goes beautifully with lamb. They will be very soft and almost falling apart at the end of cooking time, which will help to thicken the sauce.
Serves 4
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
2 onions, sliced, or 90 ml/6 tbsp frozen diced onion
700 g/1½ lb lean boneless lamb, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
15 ml/1 tbsp ground coriander
5 ml/1 tsp cumin seeds
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground turmeric
2.5 ml/½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 whole cloves
450 g/1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
400 g/14 oz/large can chopped tomatoes
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups boiling lamb or vegetable stock or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup plain yoghurt