Lamb/Goat Curry
I was inspired the other day to cook curry from many sources:
My friends declared a desire for curry. Towards that end, we went searching for curry spices Taipei City Hall exit 4. You can find the adventure in my podcast episode: IndianSpice Speakeasy
AND
I stumbled across a Jamaican Curry goat cooking snippet from John Bull's Jamaican Kitchen.
which reminded me of my mom (she makes a mean curry- she grew up in India)...
The recipe is mostly adapted directly from my mom's, but the spice mix is from talking to Sangita (of Monterey-Sunnyvale Little India Adventure fame). This curry is for lamb (which in Taiwan means goat) and so the synergy of my worlds colliding finally has meaning and it is Curry Goat aka Manishwater.
Curry Spice mix
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds,
4 whole cardamom pods,
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds/mustard seeds,
1/2 tbs fenugreek seed
Toast dry over flame or in toaster oven taking care not to burn
(releases the oils of the spices, necessary if you don't want the curry
to taste raw) Grind into fine powder. (Make sure to clean grinder with rice after
use- else the spices left in grinder will go rancid and affect the
flavor of future batches)
Combine with
1 tbs garam masala powder
2 tbs ground turmeric
other optional powdered spices:
cinnamon, allspice (mace), cloves, nutmeg
1 teaspoon cayenne to taste!
Lamb/Goat curry:
1lb cubed lamb/goat
salt & pepper (s&p)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 large onion
curry spices mix
Additionally
2 green cardamom
1 Tbs minced ginger
4 curry leaves
2 bay leaves
4 cups stock (beef or chicken) till meat is just covered
optional
1/2 cauliflower (florets)
2 large tomatoes cubed
2-4 medium potatoes
1 cup green peas
marinate 1 lb of cubed lamb in s&p and minced garlic for 4 hrs or overnight
chop one large onion and shallow fry in oil till soft and golden
add curry spice mix to oil and stir till aromatics release.
add cubed lamb to sear all over,
add two crushed cardamom, 2 cloves whole, one stick cinnamon, and
minced ginger,
handful of curry leaves & 2 bay leaves, add stock
to cover meat and simmer until tender (2+ hours).
add cauliflower, 2 quartered potatoes,
tomatoes or green peas if you wish.
Note: Don't buy expensive meat as it tends to be too lean and dry. Use stew
meat w/ lots of marbling. Serve w/ cucumber and yogurt salad and chutneys, pappadoms, etc.
Dahl:
1 Onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 green cardamom
1 round slice of ginger (silver dollar sized)
2 curry leaves
2 bay leaves
whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 red chili pod
1-2 cups yellow split peas
4 cups stock
Optional coconut milk
Fry onion and garlic until soft, add crushed piece of ginger to oil.
Add Curry & bay leaves, 2 cloves, cardamom and stick
of cinnamon, one dry red chili.
Add split peas and cook in stock (and coconut milk) until soft.
Remove all whole seasoning before serving.
To finish, gently fry some whole cumin seeds, onion*, garlic and chili
in oil. Then pour this mixture into the dahl, season w/ S&P.
sprinkle with chopped coriander if available. Serve over rice etc.
*This is sometimes available in packets ready crisp fried depending on your neighborhood grocery options.
Pilau
2 Cups long grained rice
saffron to taste
1 tbs turmeric
2 cloves garlic
1 onion chopped
1 tbs minced ginger
cinnamon stick
cardamom
curry leaves
bay leaves
whole cloves
raisins
nuts
onion flakes
Cook a yellow saffron rice w/ turmeric, garlic, onion, ginger, cinnamon stick, whole crushed cardamom, whole cloves and black pepper corns in coconut cream, curry leaves [sub bay leaves]. When nearly cooked add ready made curry [any kind: beef, chicken, lamb etc] mix into rice, add fried onion flakes, raisins and even roasted cashew nuts [sprinkle on top of rice- no mixing as they would go soft] just before serving.
Bon appetit! :-)