Pakistani Lamb and Potato Curry
Ingredients
For 1.5kg lamb I used:
6 medium onions - sliced.
Whole bulb of garlic, peeled.
Ginger (2 pieces thumb size)
3 cinnamon sticks (5cm each roughly)
4 black cardomoms (crush the tips to release flavour)
4 green cardomoms
5 bay leaves
2 -3 tsp cumin seeds
3 jalapeños (leave whole with 1 slit)
1 Tbs mixed Pakistani basaar
1 Tbs All Purpose seasoning (I prefer this to lamb seasoning)
3 medium tomatoes chopped
1 Tbs tinned chopped tomatoes
Baby potatoes, washed, peeled.
3 Tbs olive oil (or whichever oil you prefer)
1 tsp garlic paste
1-2 tsp crushed dry coriander
2 tsp garam masala
1 Tbs dried methi (fenugreek)
Fresh corriander chopped
Method
1. Boil lamb/mutton in a deep pan of water. Remove excess froth as it forms (few mins).
2. Then add salt, bay leaves, black and green cardomoms, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, onion, garlic cloves, more water if needed, enough to fully cover the meat and more, and leave lid on tight, low heat, until meat is tender. Can take 20-45mins for lamb, or couple of hours for mutton. Or you can use a pressure cooker. Should be 80% tender. I ended up softening my meat too much (about 90%) so separated the lamb from the gravy and then dried up the gravy on high heat with lid off. Took about another 30 mins. You need most of the gravy water to dry so you’re left with just the thick gravy pulp. Alternatively if meat not over done, reduce the gravy with the meat still in the pan. Keep stirring.
3. Then add the oil, basaar, all purpose seasoning, jalapeños, garlic paste, baby potatoes, tomatoes and tinned tomatoes. Cook on medium heat. Keep stirring.
4. Add crushed dry corriander and garam masala. Taste to see if you need to add any extra spices. I added a bit more cumin seeds at this point. (If you add too many tomatoes the curry will taste sweet. You can counter balance this by adding 3 or 4 crushed or whole cloves. I didn’t need to this time).
5. Once it all comes together and forms a thick gravy , add water (I prefer freshly boiled water) amount depends on desired consistency of curry, (I just pour straight from the kettle) let it boil, turn heat very low, leave a bit of a gap to lid .
6. Cook for 10-20 mins - The oil will come to the surface and sides which means curry is ready, add dry crushed methi and fresh coriander. Enjoy!