MARTINE’S MUTTON CURRY with SAMBALS

SERVES 4-6 / PREPARATION: 24 HOURS BEFORE SERVING / COOKING: 2½ HOURS / CHILLING: OVERNIGHT

15ml (1T) ground turmeric

2,5ml (½t) paprika

10ml (2t) ground coriander

5ml (1t) ground black pepper

10ml (2t) salt

10ml (2t) chopped fresh garlic (about 6 cloves)

45ml (3T) chopped fresh ginger

2-4 chillies, chopped 1kg mutton or lamb neck or knuckles (cut up lamb shank)

2 medium brinjals, cut into 2cm chunks

75ml (5T) sunflower oil

2,5ml (½t) cumin seeds

10ml (2t) fenugreek seeds

15ml (1T) mustard seeds

6 cardamom pods, cracked open

½ cinnamon stick

2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

250ml (1c) water

800g large ripe tomatoes (about 8), peeled and chopped

4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks

30ml (2T) garam masala

CUCUMBER SAMBAL

125ml (½c) plain yoghurt

2,5ml (½t) salt

15ml (1T) chopped fresh mint 10cm length of cucumber, diced

1 small red or yellow sweet pepper, seeded and diced

½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped

45ml (3T) chopped fresh coriander

15ml (1T) vinegar

TOMATO SAMBAL

2-3 tomatoes, chopped

10ml (2t) lemon or lime juice

2,5ml (½t) finely chopped chilli or chilli powder

2,5ml (½t) salt

5ml (1t) sugar

5ml (1t) toasted cumin seeds

1 spring onion, chopped

TO FINISH

250ml (1c) chopped fresh coriander basmati rice and poppadums, to serve

It’s crucial to prepare the meat 24 hours before serving. It needs long, slow cooking to become tender, and the spices need time to develop to give the curry the best flavour.

1 Mix the turmeric, paprika, coriander, pepper and 5ml (1t) salt with the garlic, ginger and chillies. Generously rub the meat with the spice mix and set it aside. 2 Season the brinjals with the remaining salt and set aside.

3 Heat the oil in an ovenproof pot, then add the seeds and whole spices and stir until fragrant, and the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add the onions and turn down the heat to medium-high.

4 When the onions are soft, rinse the brinjals, add them to the pot and cook until they have a little colour. Now add the meat with all its spices. Stir often to prevent the spices from catching on the bottom of the pot.

When the meat is just brown, add the water and cover the meat with the tomatoes. Add the potatoes and garam masala, then bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Cover and cook the curry for 2 hours in the oven. Switch off the oven and leave to cool completely. Keep the curry in the refrigerator overnight. Sambals Mix all the ingredients for the cucumber sambal together. In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the tomato sambal together.

To finish Remove the curry from the fridge. Heat it up and add more salt and pepper, if preferred. 10Garnish with the coriander and serve with basmati rice, poppadums and the sambals.