The smell of curry leaves frying in oil with spices and onions is one that always transports me to the kitchen of my Aunt Vimala. Even though it was a regular occurrence in our own home, there was something very special about staying over at Uncle Pat and Aunty Vim’s with all the cousins. She was a wonderful cook and inspired my love of cooking. This traditional lamb and potato curry is a staple in many South African Indian homes and now in the homes of my family and many friends in Australia.
Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time:1.5 hours
Ingredients
800g diced lamb, preferably lamb chump chops with fat removed and diced so that there are some small bones but plain diced lamb can be used too
3 teaspoons ginger and garlic ground together into a paste
1 large brown onion diced finely
1 tomato chopped
1/2 bunch coriander including stalks
2 pieces cinnamon bark
5 cardamom pods
Handful of curry leaves removed from stalks
1.5 teaspoons cummin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1.5-2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1.5 teaspoons cummin powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium size potatoes quartered
2.5-3 cups water or chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
4 dried chillies(optional)
Method
Heat oil in a heavy based, medium sized casserole pot
Add cinnamon bark, cummin seeds, cardamom pods and curry leaves
Stir for a minute until fragrant on medium heat
Add onions lower heat and cook slowly until translucent
Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute still on low heat
Add turmeric, cummin, fennel, salt and chilli powder and stir fry for 1 minute ensuring the spices don’t burn – take off heat if necessary.
Add tomatoes and chopped up coriander stalks and stir fry for a minute, then add lamb and increase heat to medium high
Cook lamb to seal it, adding 1/2 cup of water or chicken stock if sticking
Once lamb is sealed, add enough water or stock to just cover, bring to a boil and then lower heat to low and cover with lid to simmer for 35 minutes
Check lamb every ten minutes or so stirring and ensuring there is suffient liquid for the meat to stew
After 35 minutes add potatoes and 1/2 cup of water or stock if necessary so potatoes can cook in liquid for another 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender
Taste to see if extra salt needed
Take lid off and I crease heat to reduce liquid if necessary without allowing potatoes to disintegrate
(If potatoes are too tender and you want to reduce liquid, take the potatoes out, reduce liquid to a viscous gravy consistency and then add potatoes back in.)
Remove cinnamon bark and excess curry leaves when transferring to serving dish.
Garnish with coriander and serve with roti and/or basmati rice and salad and red lentil dhal.
