Ingredients
-
-
2 tablespoons ground blanched almonds
-
1 tablespoon ground coriander
-
1 teaspoon cumin seed
-
1 teaspoon white poppy seeds
-
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
-
1/4 teaspoon saffron strand
-
-
4 tablespoons ghee (or oil)
-
4 cardamom pods, bruised
-
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
-
1/2 cup plain yogurt
-
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
-
3 teaspoons kashmiri garam masala (Kashmiri Garam Masala)
-
salt, to taste
-
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
-
2 large onions, finely chopped
-
3 dried red chilies, seeded
Instructions
- Paste:
- Soak chillies in hot water, to cover, for 5 minutes. Dry toast almonds, ground coriander, cumin and poppy seeds in pan over low heat until spices brown slightly and become aromatic. (Shake pan so spices don't burn.) Place into a food processor with garlic, ginger, onions and chillies and blend until smooth. You may need to add a little of the chile soaking water to help the blending.
- Dry toast the saffron strands in the small pan. Be careful not to burn. In a small bowl crush with the back of a spoon then add 2 tablespoons of boiling water to dissolve. Add to the paste mix and set aside.
- Curry:
- Heat ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan and fry cardamom pods, turmeric and paste mix and fry, stirring constantly, until ghee begins to separate from mixture.
- Stir in yoghurt, a spoonful at a time.
- Add tomatoes, garam masala and salt and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes.
- Add lamb and stir over high heat to coat with with spices.
- Reduce heat to very low, cover and cook for 1 hour or until the lamb is very tender. (It should not be necessary to add any liquid). Stir occasionally to prevent spices from sticking to base of pan.
- Serve sprinkled with coriander leaves and accompany with rice.