Have a little time off this Easter long weekend? This is the perfect recipe for slow cooking after a long marinade and will feed a crowd. A great entertainer you can easily stretch further with extra sides of vegetables if desired, or by bulking out the curry itself with more vegies.
I first made this recipe with some beautiful grass fed lamb from Deagon Bulk Meats. While I had second thoughts dicing the gorgeous leg up the end result was worth it.
Ingredients:
1.5 kg lamb leg
2 cups natural coconut yoghurt
Juice one 1 large lemon (or 2 lemons if not super juicy)
2 teaspoons salt
4 large onions
1 cup ghee
8 cloves garlic
1 large piece ginger, peeled (about 1/3-1/2 cup chopped)
1 1/3 cup water
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon black pepper ground
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes
½ cup tomato paste
Method:
Remove the bone from the lamb and cut into pieces about an inch cubed. (Or ask the butcher to do it for you)
In a large container (enough to fit the lamb), mix the coconut yoghurt, lemon juice and salt. Add the lamb and stir well. Cover and place in the fridge to marinade overnight, ideally 24 hours.
When you’re ready to cook, slice the onions and fry in the ghee until golden brown in a large heavy based saucepan.
Place the chopped ginger and garlic cloves in a food processor with 2/3 cup water. Blend until liquidised. Add the rest of the water and blend again.
Add to the saucepan with the golden onions and cook, stirring regularly for around 10 minutes.
Add the dried spices, stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir for 5 minutes.
Add the marinated lamb, a tin of diced tomatoes and cook gently for 1 1/2 -2 hours, stirring every now and again so it doesn’t stick and burn on the bottom until the lamb is tender.
Serve with steamed rice, pilaf (recipe below) or cauli rice, pappadums and steamed vegetables.
Cheat’s Pilaf
Ingredients:
1 red onion, finely diced
½ bunch rainbow chard, washed, stems sliced finely and leaves shredded
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons Ghee, olive or coconut oil
¼ cup chopped almonds (optional)
½ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
Method:
Heat a frypan and add the ghee.
Cook the onion until softened and translucent.
Add the mustard seeds, cumin and turmeric and stir well, releasing the flavour and aromatics of the spices.
Add the rainbow chard stalks and cook until softened.
Add the rice, stirring well to cook through and coat with the onion and spice mix. add the nuts if using and stir through. Add a little water if needed if it seems a bit dry or your rice was a little dry/cold.
Add the leaves of the rainbow chard and ½ the coriander leaves. Stir well and cook until just beginning to soften but still retaining some bite and freshness.
Season with salt to taste. Add the remaining coriander leaves and serve with the curry.