Cyrus Todiwala’s Nicely Spicy Lamb Kheema

‘Mince of all types, when cooked with the right balance of spices and condiments, gives a meal beautiful flavours and aromas. It can be served in any number of ways; for example, on its own with some Indian breads or, for a slight twist, try it with a fried egg on top.’ Hands-on time 30min. Cooking time about 45min. Serves 4 FOR THE GINGER-GARLIC-CHILLI PASTE 1tsp cumin seeds 1tbsp coriander seeds 5cm (2in) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced 5 garlic cloves, chopped 2 fresh green chillies, deseeded (optional), roughly chopped FOR THE KHEEMA 2-3tbsp vegetable oil or rapeseed oil 7.5cm (3in) piece cinnamon stick 4 cardamom pods, bruised 4 whole cloves 2 onions, finely chopped 1tsp red chilli powder ½tsp ground turmeric 2tbsp tomato purée 500g (1lb 2oz) lean lamb mince 3 tomatoes, chopped

2 dried red chillies, optional 3tbsp chopped fresh coriander 1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 To make the ginger-garlic-chilli paste, dry-fry the cumin and coriander seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat for about 1min, until toasted. Grind using a pestle and mortar. Tip into a mini food processor or blender with the remaining paste ingredients and 1-2tbsp water, and blend to a paste.

2 In a heavy-bottomed pan or casserole dish, heat the oil over medium heat and fry the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves for 1-2min until fragrant. Add the onions and fry for 10min, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned.

3 Add the chilli powder, turmeric and ginger-garlic-chilli paste, and cook for 3-4min until golden and fragrant (add a splash of water if it starts to stick to the pan). Add the tomato purée and cook for 1min, then add the lamb, stir well to break up any lumps and cook for 5min, stirring often. Add a splash of water if the mix starts to stick to the pan.

4 Stir in the tomatoes, dried red chillies, if using, and 250ml (9fl oz) boiling water. Simmer for 20min until the liquid is reduced to a rich sauce. Season to taste and stir in the chopped coriander and mint. Serve with rotis. PER SERVING 340cals, 25g protein, 22g fat (8g saturates), 8g carbs (7g total sugars), 3g fibre

 Recipe taken from The Incredible Spice Men (BBC Books) by Cyrus Todiwala and Tony Singh.