Indian Curry Recipes (5 page)
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
- Heat 20 ml/4 tsp of the oil in a large frying pan, add the meat and fry until browned all over. Transfer to the ceramic cooking pot with a slotted spoon, leaving most of the oil and juices behind. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onion for 4-5 minutes, stirring until it begins to colour.
- In a bowl, blend the garlic, ginger and ground almonds with 75 ml/5 tbsp of the stock. Add the cardamom, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder, cinnamon and sugar to the pan and stir for a minute, then stir in the almond mixture and cook for a further minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the rest of the stock, then tip the mixture over the lamb in the ceramic cooking pot.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours until the lamb is very tender.
- Stir in the garam masala and yoghurt or cream, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with Tarka Dhal or Lemon-scented Rice.
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)
- Rinse the lentils in a sieve (strainer) under cold running water, then tip them into a bowl. Cover with cold water and leave to soak for several minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Crush the cardamom seeds and cumin seeds and peppercorns in a pestle and mortar or grind them in a spice or coffee grinder. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 7-8 minutes or until almost soft. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli and crushed spices and cook for a further minute, stirring all the time. Scrape the mixture into the ceramic cooking pot.
- Add the lamb, stock, tomatoes and lemon juice to the cooking pot. Drain the lentils and add them as well. Stir everything together. Cover with the lid and cook on High for 3-3½ hours or Low for 6-7 hours until very tender.
- Stir in the chopped coriander and serve with Saffron Rice and Sweet Mango Chutney.
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
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and sprinkle in the cumin seeds. When they start to pop, add the onion, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf and cook gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring.
- Add the lamb and fry for about 5 minutes until the meat is lightly browned on all sides. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Transfer the lamb mixture to the ceramic cooking pot and switch the slow cooker to Low. Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes and stock, then season with salt and pepper.
- Cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 hours or until the lamb and vegetables are very tender.
- Serve the lamb drizzled with yoghurt and scattered with chopped coriander.
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
- Roughly chop one of the onions and put in a food processor with the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and mustard seeds and chillies. Add 30 ml/2 tbsp of the stock or water and process until finely chopped. Add a further 60 ml/4 tbsp of the stock or water and blend until smooth.
- Heat 15 ml/1 tbsp of the ghee or butter and 15 ml/1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the lamb in batches until browned all over. Transfer to the ceramic cooking pot using a slotted spoon, leaving the fat and juices behind.
- Add the spice paste to the frying pan and fry, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the remaining stock or water. In a separate bowl, blend the cornflour with a little of the yoghurt, then stir in the rest of the yoghurt. Stir into the spice mixture in the frying pan.
- Pour the contents of the pan over the lamb, add the cloves and cardamom pods and season with salt and pepper. Stir, then cover with the lid. Cook on High for 3 hours or Low for 6.
- Towards the end of cooking time, finely slice the remaining onions. Heat the rest of the ghee or butter and oil in a frying pan and cook the onions for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and soft.
- When the curry has cooked, stir in the garam masala, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve scattered with the fried onions along with basmati rice and chutney.
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
- Heat 15 ml/1 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the lamb and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, until browned all over. Lift out with a slotted spoon, leaving the juices behind, and transfer to the ceramic cooking pot.
- Add the remaining 15 ml/1 tbsp oil to the pan, then gently cook the onions for 6-7 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry paste, paprika, cardamom and cloves. Cook for a further minute, stirring.
- Add the bay leaves and tomato purée, then slowly stir in the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Heat until steaming hot, but not boiling, then pour over the lamb in the pot.
- In a separate bowl, blend the cornflour with a little of the yoghurt, then stir in the rest of the yoghurt. Gradually stir into the lamb mixture. Cover with the lid and cook on High for 3 hours or Low for 6 hours until really tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, before serving with plain basmati rice or Mushroom Pilau.
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
- Make the marinade in a large bowl by mixing the cornflour, garlic, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, garam masala and about 30 ml/2 tbsp of the yoghurt together. Stir in the rest of the yoghurt. Add the lamb, stir to coat, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight if you prefer.
- Heat half the ghee or butter and 5 ml/1 tsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 7-8 minutes or until almost soft. Transfer to the ceramic cooking pot with a slotted spoon.
- Remove the lamb from the marinade. Add the rest of the ghee and oil to the pan, then fry the lamb in batches until it's evenly browned, transferring each batch to the ceramic cooking pot. Tip the potatoes in on top of the lamb, season with a little salt and pepper and stir everything together.
- Add a little of the stock to the frying pan and swirl to dissolve any sediment. Tip into the ceramic pot. Blend the remaining marinade with the rest of the stock and add to the pot as well. Stir again.
- Cover with the lid and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours. Towards the end of cooking time, cook the rice according to the packet directions. Drain well and fork through the cooked meat and sauce. Serve with popadoms, salad and raita.
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