At least, that’s what it started as. This recipe is adapted from the Food Network’s Tyler Florence. Southern India can have some really spicy, hot foods, more so than the New Delhi area. I changed that spicy hot to more or a medium to low intensity. Look at the recipe and where it calls for Red Pepper Flakes, change that to 1 Fresh Red Chili. Also, when steaming the basmati rice to serve with it, place 2 – 1″ rounds of fresh ginger in with water before adding the rice. The spices used are very traditional. Grinding them fresh adds another dimension to the curry that you will not get with commercially produced curry spice combinations. And finally, if you don’t want to use lamb, I have also had this with goat. Using beef would be truly a non-traditional curry, but it can be used. The recipe only looks involved – actually it is pretty easy to do. Cheers!

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
¼ c Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1½ T Cloves
1½ T Cumin seed
1½ T Fennel seed
1½ T Coriander seed
1½ T Turmeric
1 Cinnamon stick
2 fresh Bay Leaves
10 fresh Curry Leaves
3 lbs Lamb, boned shoulder cut into 1” cubes
¼ t Red Pepper Flakes
2 med Onions, roughly chopped
5 cloves Garlic, peeled
2 T Ginger, fresh and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 lg fresh Tomatoes
½ c plain Yogurt, unsweetened natural
½ bunch fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Scallion, cut into strips
6 c steamed Basmati rice, steamed with 2 rounds of fresh ginger

Directions:
1). Begin by setting a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Grind the cloves, fennel, cumin, coriander, and turmeric in a spice grinder. Add oil to the hot pot and pour in the spices. Throw in cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, curry leaves, and chili. Toast for 2-3 minutes until golden and aromatic. While they are toasting, add onion, garlic and ginger to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2). Season cubed lamb with salt and pepper then add to the pot of oil and spices. Brown all over, about 5-7 minutes. Add onion puree and sweat a little to remove some of the moisture – about 8 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon as you go.

3). Add fresh tomatoes and cover slightly with lid. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the lamb is tender. Remove the lid and skim fat off the surface. Fold in the yogurt and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

4). Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and scallions serve with steamed Basmati rice.

Cooking Times:
Prep – 20 min
Cook – 52 min
Total – 1hr 12 min