Minted Creamy Lamb Curry

THIS rich lamb dish is not excessively creamy or minty and instead produces a well-rounded dish where the contrasting flavours work alongside the harmonising flavours to make for a thoroughly enjoyable and unusual curry.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 Shoulder of lamb. Ask your butcher to dice the meat and let you have the bone. Alternatively 800g stewing lamb.

1 Large onion diced

1 TBSP Garlic Paste

1 TBSP Ginger Paste

Bottle of spicy red wine such as a Malbec

1 TSP Curry Powder

Chilli Powder to taste. Between 1 level TSP and 2 Heaped.

1 TSP Garam Masalla

1 TSP Turmeric Powder

3 TBSP Plain Flour or 1 and ½ 3 TBSP Butter

1 Level TSP Salt – Sea or rock salt are best but table salt will do

4 TBSP Double Cream

3 Heaped TSP Mint Sauce

1 TSP Sugar

2 TBSP Vegetable Oil

Fresh coarsely chopped or ripped coriander leaves

Method

In a large pot lightly fry the onions in the oil until softened and lay in the bone if you have one.

Brown the lamb in a hot frying pan on all sides in small batches and add to the pot. When finished, pour over three quarters of the wine reserving the rest as a chef’s perk.

Top up with water to cover and bring to the boil and then simmer on low for 2 hours. Top up with water as needed.

Now melt the butter gently in a small pan then stir in the flour and mix well. Then add the ginger and garlic with the curry powder, turmeric, chilli, and garam masalla and mix this in well.

Discard the lamb bone from the big pot. Add 4-5 ladles of liquid from the pot to the small pan one at a time mixing well over a medium heat to remove lumps before adding the next ladle. When complete stir this into the big pot.

Add the cream, mint sauce, salt and sugar and stir well.

Allow to simmer for a further 10 to 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Serve with plain rice and garnish with coriander leaves.