This is one of the best damn things I've ever eaten--and that's saying something. That's saying something HUGE. This is a lamb and potato curry (or, to be perfectly accurate, a gosht aloo curry). The recipe came from an organic cookbook I have, and don't worry, I'm going to share it with you. We have never made Indian food this good at home before--it totally eclipses the chicken curry that we've made previously (although that is still a perfectly good curry--this one is just better).
You'll need:
- 1 lbs. boneless lamb stew meat, such as shoulder or siloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup of canola or olive oil
- medium onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbs minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 Tbs minced garlic
- 1 15 oz. diced tomatoes with their juice
- 1 lbs. Yukon Gold or waxy potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
- basmati rice
- 2 cups reduced fat or fat free yogurt
- cucumber--grated
- salt to taste
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- dash of cayenne pepper
Season the lamb with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and brown well on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a bowl by itself and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion and turmeric--stir well. Add the rest of the spices (through cayenne) along with 1 tsp salt to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. Return the lamb to the pot. Add 2 cups of water (or chicken stock for more flavor), and the can of tomatoes. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, covered, until the lamb and taters are tender, (this can take anywhere from 30-50 minutes). Add the peas last and cook unti lthey are heated through, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook up a batch of basmatic rice, using Salmaan's super-secret method, and whip up some tasty raita by incorporating the last 5 ingredients listed above (we like the cucumber with the skin on--gives the raita a good texture and splash of color). Serve the curry over basmati rice, with a side of naan bread that has been warmed in the toaster oven. Ladle some raita over the top of the curry and enjoy one of the best meals you've had in a long time.
BTW, I apologize for the sub-par photos--I promise this meal tastes ten times more fantastic that it looks. As Salmaan says, Indian food is virtually "unphotographababble". ;-)
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